The intention of the VIIth International Symposium on the Facial Nerve was to create a platform for an extensive exchange of knowledge and scientific infor mation between clinicians and basic research workers. This aim could only be realized on the basis of a common interest in the facial nerve, which unites the interdisciplinary scientific efforts of otologists, neurosurgeons, facial plastic surgeons, neurologists, neurophysiologists, and neuroanatomists. Therefore, a meeting of this kind remains in its aim to exchange ideas over scientific disciplines which do not come unique together normal conditions. The symposium has been held every four years since 1966. The VIIth sym posium was preceded by symposia in Stockholm (1966), Osaka (1970), ZUrich (1976), Los Angeles (1980), Bordeaux (1984) and Rio de Janeiro (1988), and marked an important milestone in the continuously developing knowledge about the facial nerve, its physiology, disorders, diagnostics and treatment. In contrast to the previous meetings this symposium extended in vitations to both clinicians and basic research workers. More than 350 scientists from 25 different nations met in Cologne, Germany, in June 1992 and their high-level presentations contributed to the overwhelming success of this international meeting. The symposium took place in the vicinity of the old cllthedral of Cologne, itself a vivid symbol of never-ending efforts to create something perfect and lasting.

I: Invited lectures

Anatomy
Comparative anatomy of the central representation of the facial nerve
The facial nerve - Peripheral and central connections of proprioception
Facial nerve fiber orientation, linkage between central nervous organization and muscular function
Changing ratio between myelin thickness and axon caliber in developing human facial nerves
The denervated muscle
To what extent can poor functional recovery of denervated muscles be attributed to incomplete as opposed to inappropriate reinnervation after surgical repair of severed nerves?
Morphologic studies on human and rodent facial muscles
Denervation and reservation of muscle: Physiological effects
Postdenervation muscular changes in facial paralysis
Effects of electrostimulation therapy: Enzyme-histological and myometric changes in the derivated musculature
Rehabiliation of facial expression ("mime therapy")
The injured nerve
Fine Structure of degeneration and regeneration of peripheral nerve fibers
Regulation of transferrrin receptors and iron uptake in normal and injured nervous system
Clinical experience in nerve grafting
Prognostic value of electroneurography in Bell's palsy
Role of laminin for axonal growth
Bell's palsy: Synopsis by an otologist
Role of oncogenes in neural regeneration
The facial nucleus and its cellular environment
The role of microglia in regeneration
The role of calcitonin gene-related peptide in the regenerating facial nucleus
The role of astrocytes in facial nerve regeneration
Pathophysiology of hemifacial spasm
II: Free papers and posters
Anatomy and the denervated muscle
Anatomy and histology of the mimic muscles and the supplying facial and posters nerve
Motor innervation pattern of the orbicularis oris muscle in guinea pig
Why does the frontalis muscle "never come back"? Functional organization of the mimic musculature
Affection of mimic muscles, simulating damage of the facial nerve in patients with faciocapulohumeral muscular dystrophy
Muscle ultrastuctural changes in long-standing idiopathic total facial nerve palsy
Comparison of myosin in denervated and immobilized muscles
Respiratory-related electromyographic activity of facial muscles
Stimulation of the regeneration process in denervated muscle
Peripheral communication of the facial nerve at the angle of the mouth
Development and reinnervation of rat muscle grafts in interspecific transplantations
Trigeminal facial nerve communication and its clinical application
Observations on the geniculate ganglion in adult human dissections
Spatial occupancy of the facial nerve in the fallopian canal
Funicular structure and nerve fiber topography in the extratemporal facial nerve
Physical training
The role of physical therapy in patients with facial paralysis - State of the art
Functional recovery and electromyographic/electroneurographic evaluation in Bell's and Ramsay-Hunt's palsy patients undergoing physical training
Treatment of facial paralysis using electromyographic feedback - A case study
Eutrophic electrical stimulation in long-standing facial palsy
Plastic surgery
Graft hypoglossal-facial anastomosis with gold lid weight
Individually adjusted curvatures of upper eyelid gold implants: a valuable approach
Static suspension of Eyebrow with Gore-Tex Plastic surgery
Temporalis transfer for correction of lagophthalmus
Pectoralis minor transplantation in the Netherlands
An experimental model for complex dynamic control of the reinnervated face
Pectoralis minor muscle graft for the treatment of unilateral facial palsy
Extended follow-up study of vascularized muscle transplantation for treatment of long-standing facial palsy
Eye sphincter substitution schemes
Reanimation schemes for partial facial palsies
Freeze-thawed skeletal muscle autografts: Experimental evalutation of these grafts in facial nerve repair
Facial nerve paralysis: Gold weight implants as alternative to tarsorrhaphy
Facial reanimation in facial paralysis
Facial nerve disorders in children and Others
Steroid therapy for facial nerve palsy in children
Developmental aspects of the facial canal: A light and scanning electron microscopy study
Vulnerability of the facial nerve in entraped palsy: Comparative study in guinea pigs and humans
Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome: Report of two cases and review of literature
Course of the facial nerve in congenital dysplasia of the external auditory canal: A high-resolution computerized tomography study
Lyme borreliosis - Main cause of acute peripheral facial palsy in childhood
Dehiscences in the fallopian canal
Macrodissection study on peripheral facial nerve branches to Stensen's duct
Grading of facial palsies
The quantification of synkinesis and facial paralysis
Development of a sensitive clinical facial grading system
Development of a new paresis scoring system for pre- and postoperative evaluation of facial paresis
Prediction of prognosis in facial nerve palsy using constellation diagram
Computer-assisted grading of facial function
Subjective evaluation of facial function by the patient
Comparative value of facial nerve grading system
Botulinum toxin
Treatment of hemifacial spasm with botulinum toxin
Botulinum toxin treatment in patients with facial sykinesis
Botulinum toxin: Structure and pharmacology
Diagnostic procedures Electrophysiology
The utility of single-fiber electromyography in facial nerve paralysis
Computer-aided neuromyography with repetitive stimuli for diagnostis of facial nerve disorders
Antidromically evoked facial nerve response on guinea pigs with partial nerve injury
Antidromically evoked facial nerve responses in human subjects: Modification of recording techniques
Electrophysiological evidence for central hyperexcitability of facial motoneurons in hemifacial spasm
Prognostic diagnosis of peripheral facial palsy by an impedance method
Facial nerve antidromic evoked potentials
Infraorbital (V2) and mental (V3) nerve stimulations produce correspondingly specific facial nerve reflexes analogous to the blink reflex
Electrophysiologic evaluation of facial nerve: Function after paralysis
Clinical value of battery electrodiagnostic test
Diagnostic procedures: Electroneurography
Electrical evaluation of the facial nerve in acoustic neuroma patients comparing transcranial magnetic stimulation and electroneurography
The prognostic value of electroneurography in Bell's palsy
Innervation pattern of the extratemporal ramification of the facial nerve; intraoperative evoked electromyographic study: Second report
Bell's palsy and magnetic stimulation: longitudinal study
Electromyography of evoked activity of the facial nerve in cerebellopontine angle surgery
Electroneurographic evaluation of facial palsy: Early and late results in 350 patients
Neuronography in facial palsy-results of long-term observations
Magnetic stimulation
Identification of the exact stimulated site in transcranial magnetic stimulation of the facial nerve
Pre- and postoperative electrophysical and magnetic stimulation control of facial nerve function in hemifacial spasm
Influence of different electrodes on electric and magnetic stimulation of the facial nerve
Evaluation of peripheral facial palsy by transcranial magnetic stimulation
Transcranial magnetic stimulation of the facial nerve in small and medium-sized acoustic neurinomas
Neurophysiological evaluation of Bell's palsy: Electroneurography and transcranial magnetic stimulation
Magnetic stimulation in patients with essential blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm
Blink reflex investigation using magnetic stimulation
Facial nerve lesions: tumor, trauma
Progressive facial palsy and neurinomas of the VIIth nerve
Two cases of intratemporal facial neurofibroma
Facial nerve neuronomas: Diagnosis and management of the large lesion
End-to-end anastomosis versus nerve graft in intratemporal and intracranial lesions of the facial nerve
Primary facial nerve tumors: Diagnostic and management dilemmas
Gunshot injuries to the intratemporal facial nerve
Microsurgical selective removal of benign neoplasms of the parotid gland
Peripheral facial nerve paresis as the initial presenting manifestation of tumors of unknown origin
Facial nerve neurinoma nad otologic signs
Facial paralysis induced by tumors
The facial nerve in congenital ear malformations
Management of traumatic facial nerve paralysis with carotid artery cavernous sinus fistula
Facial nerve neuroma
The acoustic trauma in decompression surgery of facial nerve
Recovery of total facial palsy after neuroma surgery
Facial nerve monitoring
Intraoperative NIM-2(TM) monitoring for facial nerve preservation in acoustic neurinoma surgery
Facial nerve monitoring of skull base and cerebello-pontine angle lesions.
Intraoperative facial nerve monitoring by monopolar low constant current stimulation and postoperative facial function in acoustic tumor surgery
Intraoperative facial nerve monitoring in the infratemporal fossa approach: Improved preservation of nerve function
Electrical stylomastoidal and magnetic transcranial stimulation of the facial nerve in Bell's palsy: Time course of electrophysiological parameters
Facial nerve imaging
Gadolinium-DTPA-enhaneed MRI of the facial nerve
Gadolinium-enhanced MRI and positron emission tomography in Bell's palsy: A preliminary report
Correlation between Gadolinium-enhanced MRI and neurophysiology in Bell's palsy: A preliminary study
Gadolinium-DTPA-enhanced MRI in facial palsy
Correlation of MRI, clinical, and electroneuronographic findings in the natural course of acute facial nerve palsies
Hemifacial spasm: Evaluation and management options
Idiopathic facial nerve palsy (Bell's palsy): Morphological changes in MRI
Contrast-enhanced MRI of the facial nerve in patients with Bell's palsy
Gadolinium-enhanced MRI in experimental facial nerve paralysis
Preoperative radiologic assessment of facial nerve in cochlear implant surgery
Gadolinium-enhanced MRI in Bell's palsy
Hemifacial spasm caused by posterior inferior cerebellar artery elongation - diagnostic value of angiomagnetic resonance imaging
Computerized tomography demonstration of labyrinthine facial nerve decompression viability by the transattical approach
Depiction of affected facial nerve with Gd-DTPA enhanced MRI
Idiopathic facial nerve palsy (Bell's palsy): Morphological changes in MRI
High-resolution computed tomography imaging of the facial nerve canal in temporal bone fractures
Facial palsy due to intracranial vascular lesion
Imaging in the differential diagnosis of facial paralysis
Value of MRI and intraoperative frozen sections in defining the extent of facial neurinoma
Topographical anatomy of the facial nerve
X-Ray symptomatology of the facial canal involvement in chronic otitis
Surgical techniques
Clinical investigation of hypoglossal-facial nerve anastomosis
Salvage decompression of the facial nerve
Is facial nerve decompression surgery effective?
Surgical treatment of synkinesis
Parotidectomy with the nerve integrity monitor II
Anastomosis of infratemporal facial nerve with fibrin tissue adhesive
Treatment of facial paralysis in humans by neural methods
Facial reanimation by XII to VII nerve anastomosis after surgery on the VIII nerve
Rehabilitation after hypoglossus-facial crossover
Development of the nerve conduction velocity after hypoglossal-facial nerve anastomosis: An electroneurographie study
The "babysitter" principle: Experience and results in 25 cases
Trigeminal neoneurotization of the paralysed facial musculature
Surgical repair of the facial nerve at the base of the skull: The mastoid-parotid approach
Microvascular decompression by the retromastoid apporach for idiopathic hemifacial spasm: Experience of 300 patients
Endoscopic anatomy of the facial nerve and related structures
Facial nerve research: New approaches and results
Expression and regulation of neuropeptides in rat facial motoneurons
Human facial nucleus: Choline acety and calcitonin gene-related peptide
Nerve growth factor: Morphological and morphometrie findings of facial nerve regeneration in the rabbit
Observation of motorneurons after recovery from experimental facial nerve paralysis
Extracellular matrix arrangements of rat facial nerve
Best method for facial nerve anastomosis
An animal model of ischemic facial palsy
Experimental studies on antidromic evoked potential of the facial nerve
Function-dependent expression of calcitonin gene related peptide in neuromuscular junctions of the facial muscles
Ultracytological localization of K+-dependent, p-nitrophenylphosphatase activity in cat facial nerve
Degeneration and regeneration of neuromuscular junction in guinea pig mimic muscle - A scanning electron microscopic study
Nerve growth factor: Optic and ultrastructural findings on facial nerve degeneration in the rabbit
Stereological estimation of the volume and neuron number of the facial and hypoglossal nucleus of the rat
Effects of motor neuron disorders on feeding behavior of sturgeons, inhabiting the volga river
Detection of varicella zoster virus DNA by polymerase chain reaction in clinical samples from patients with Hunt's syndrome
Stereological evaluation of neuronal plasticity in rat brainstem after hypoglossal-facial anastomosis
Role of opioid peptides and substance P in the regeneration of CNS and PNS nervous tissue
Reinnervation of rat vibrissae after hypoglossal-facial anastomosis: A horseradish-peroxidase study
Biomaterials used in nerve regeneration chambers as substrata for spinal cord neurons cultured in vitro
Fibrin sealant (Tissucol) as a substratum for spinal cord neurons cultured in vitro
Facial nerve regeneration through semipermeable porous chambers
Comparison of rabbit facial nerve regeneration in nerve growth factor-containing silistic tubes to autologous cable grafts
Carbon dioxide laser repair of the facial nerve: An experimental study in the rat
A new animal model of facial nerve palsy using a freezing method
Immunology
Etiopathogenesis of Bell's palsy: An immune-mediated theory
T-Lymphocyte subpopulations and HLA-DR antigens in patients with Bell's palsy, hearing loss, neuronitis vestibularis and Menière's disease
Electrophysiologic pattern and T-cell subsets in Bell's palsy
Immunological findings in Bell's palsy
Prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies in Bell's palsy in a metropolitan area of northern Italy
Anti-Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies in sera of patients with facial paralysis
Macrophages and Schwann cells in myelin disintegration
Incidence of peripheral facial palsy in patients with antibodies against Lyme Borreliosis
Blood supply
Reaction of the vasa nervorum of the facial nerve during stimulation with neurotransmitters
Morphological changes in ischemic facial nerve paralysis
Activation of intravascular coagulation in Bell's palsy
Retinal videofluorescence-angiographic findings in Bell's palsy
Evaluation of total and perfused blood vessels in the facial nerve
Viral involvement
Virus isolation study of the human ganglion geniculi (nerve VII)
Virus-associated demyelination in the pathogenesis of Bell's palsy
Histopathology of facial nerve neuritis caused by herpes simplex virus infection in mice
Herpes simplex virus and experimental facial paralysis
Recent treatment of Ramsay Hunt syndrome
Herpes zoster of the geniculate ganglion: Therapeutic concepts
Acyclovir versus steroids in the treatment of Bell's palsy
Facial palsy and human immunodeficiency virus infection
Antibody response against the Epstein-Barr-virus in acute idiopathic facial palsy
Lower brainstem changes in herpes oticus with facial palsy
Facial nerve paralysis induced by herpes simplex virus infection in mice
Ramsay Hunt syndrome: Natural history
Evidence suggesting the viral etiology of Bell's palsy
Bell's palsy and others
Management of Bell's palsy accompanied by diabetes mellitus
Long-term results of severe facial paralysis
Distribution of facial nerve conduction velocities in patients with Bell's palsy
Tertiary syphilis with facial paralysis
Recurrent facial paralysis associated with HIV infection
Bilateral facial palsy in Wegener's granulomatosis
Facial palsy in Equatorial Africa
Regeneration of irradiated rat skeletal muscle after damage under different experimental conditions
Age characteristics of reinnervation of skeletal muscle grafts
Prediction of surgical criteria for Bell's palsy on the fifth day of evolution
Therapeutic policy for Bell's palsy and Hunt syndrome
Stellate ganglion block for facial palsy
Treatment comparison between dexamethasone and placebo for idiopathic facial palsy
Emotions in the first 99 days after the onset of facial paralysis: A single case study
Facial paralysis in children
Evaluation of facial palsy by Moiré topography
Bell's palsy steroid therapy in chosen cases
Result of high-dose steroid therapy (Stennert) in facial palsy
Natural history of Bell's palsy
The facial nerve nucleus
Central and peripheral rearrangements following hypoglossal-facial crossover: An electrophysiological study
Recovery of normal excitability of the facial motor nucleus following facial nerve decompression in hemifacial spasm
Astroglial response in facial and hypoglossal nucleus after hypoglossal-facial anastomosis in the rat
Synaptic stripping in facial and hypoglossal nucleus after hypoglossal-facial anastomosis in the rat
Response of Nissl substance in the facial and hypoglossal nucleus after hypoglossal-facial anastomosis in the rat
New "perineural cells" in the compartmentation of the regenerated nerves
Somatotopic changes of the stylohyoid muscle subnucleus after section and repair of the facial nerve
Axotomy of the facial nerve not only induces changes in the facial nucleus but also in remotely related brain regions
To: Bell's palsy and others
Peripheral facial paralysis: evaluation of effects in a case-study.