Muscle weakness Facial palsy 2009-12-06T05:08:30Z HP:0000344 Cranial nerve VII palsy HP:0007212 Facial nerve palsy is a dysfunction of cranial nerve VII (the facial nerve) that results in inability to control facial muscles on the affected side with weakness of the muscles of facial expression and eye closure. This can either be present in unilateral or bilateral form. Bell's palsy Facial nerve paralysis VII th cranial nerve palsy UMLS:C0376175 HP:0010628 SNOMEDCT_US:193093009 HP:0000302 HP:0002008 Seventh cranial nerve palsy HP:0002259 SNOMEDCT_US:95666008 HP:0000353 Facial palsy, unilateral or bilateral HP:0000296 HP:0200004 HP:0004670 UMLS:C0427055 Facial nerve palsy Several conditions can cause a facial paralysis, e.g. brain tumor, stroke, and Lyme disease. However, if no specific cause can be identified, the condition is known as Bell's palsy. Named after Scottish anatomist Charles Bell, who first described it. Bell's palsy is the most common acute mononeuropathy (disease involving only one nerve) and is the most common cause of acute facial nerve paralysis. UMLS:C1858719 Facial muscle weakness of muscles innervated by CN VII HP:0002517 Abnormal nervous system physiology Weakness of facial musculature