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Updated: Jul 5, 2026

Facial Nerve Axotomy in Mice: A Model to Study Motoneuron Response to Injury
Published on: February 23, 2015
Denervation atrophy of motor cranial nerves
Wendy R K Smoker1, Deborah L Reede
1Department of Radiology, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, 200 Hawkins Drive, 0453-G JCP, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA. wendy-smoker@uiowa.edu
Abstract:
Muscles undergoing denervation demonstrate a variety of imaging appearances in the various stages. It is incumbent on the radiologist to be aware of these changes so as not to interpret these muscles as harboring a tumor or being involved by an inflammatory process. Knowledge of cranial nerve anatomy and the muscles they innervate enables identification of denervation patterns that could implicate more than one nerve and directs the search for the causative lesion.
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