Hypoglossal nerve

The hypoglossal nerve is the twelfth cranial nerve. The twelve cranial nerves, the hypoglossal nerve included, emerge from or enter the skull (the cranium), as opposed to the spinal nerves which emerge from the vertebral column. The hypoglossal nerve supplies the muscles of the tongue. (The Greek "hypo-", under and "-glossal" from A"glossa", the tongue = under the tongue). Paralysis of the hypoglossal nerve affects the tongue. It impairs speech (it sounds thick) and causes the tongue to deviate toward the paralyzed side. In time, the tongue diminishes in size (atrophies).

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hypoglossal nerve n either of the 12th and final pair of cranial nerves which are motor nerves arising from the medulla oblongata and supplying muscles of the tongue and hyoid apparatus in higher vertebrates called also hypoglossal, twelfth cranial nerve

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the twelfth cranial nerves (XII), which supplies the muscles of the tongue and is therefore responsible for the movements of talking and swallowing.

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nervus hypoglossus.