What is the role of the trigeminal nerve in facial sensation?

The trigeminal nerve plays a crucial role in facial sensation by detecting pain, touch, and temperature across different regions of the face. It is the largest cranial nerve and has three branches: the ophthalmic, maxillary, and mandibular nerves. Each of these branches is responsible for carrying sensory information from specific areas of the face to the brain. This includes detecting various types of stimuli, such as tactile (touch), nociceptive (pain), and thermoreceptive (temperature) sensations, allowing individuals to experience and respond to their environment. In contrast, the other options incorrectly attribute functions to the trigeminal nerve that belong to different cranial nerves, such as facial expressions and eye movements.