Certified Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse Practice Test

In a patient with meningitis, which cranial nerve irritation could cause photophobia?

1. III

2. IV

3. V

4. VI

The correct answer is: V

In a patient with meningitis, photophobia can occur due to cranial nerve irritation of the fifth cranial nerve (V), also known as the trigeminal nerve. The trigeminal nerve is responsible for sensation in the face and motor functions such as chewing. Irritation of the trigeminal nerve can lead to increased sensitivity to light (photophobia) as one of the symptoms of meningitis. Cranial nerve III (oculomotor nerve), cranial nerve IV (trochlear nerve), and cranial nerve VI (abducens nerve) are involved in eye movement and are not typically associated with photophobia in the context of meningitis.