I get why people can control their eyes while paralyzed, but why can they not control the rest of their face usually? I didn’t think those nerves went through the brain stem either.

Question

I get why people can control their eyes while paralyzed, but why can they not control the rest of their face usually? I didn’t think those nerves went through the brain stem either.

In: Biology

Answer 1

The eyes are so directly linked to the brain that the retina might even be called part of it.

Your facial muscles are controlled by nerves that are routed from the brain stem, through a hole in the skull under each ear, and to where they’re needed.