Moebius syndrome
Definition
Moebius syndrome is a condition in which the facial nerve is underdeveloped, causing paralysis or weakness of the muscles of the face. Other nerves to the facial structures may also be underdeveloped.
Description
Moebius syndrome has been called "life without a smile" because the paralysis of the facial muscles, the most constant feature, leads to the physical inability to form a smile even when happy feelings are experienced. The facial nerve is one of a group of 12 nerves known as the cranial nerves because they originate in the brain. The facial nerve is also known as the seventh cranial nerve. The sixth cranial nerve, also called the abducens, controls blinking and back-and-forth eye movement and is the second most commonly affected cranial nerve in Möebius syndrome. Additional...
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