Facial nerve VII (nervus facialis) - innervates all the facial muscles, and for a certain section runs together with the intermediate nerve, which guides the secretory and gustatory fibres. The facial n erve exits the cranial cavity through the stylomandibular foramen, then divides into upper and lower parts, with smaller branches forming the parotid plexus innervating the parotid gland. The temporal, zygomatic, buccal, mandibular and cervical branches diverge from the plexus.