Pr Paul Julius Möbius
He was the first physician to described this rare disease in 1884. He gave it his name
(see article)

Two important nerves (the 6th and 7th cranial nerves) are not fully developed, causing eye muscle and facial paralysis. The movements of the face – blinking, lateral movement of the eyes are controlled by those muscles. Many of the other 12 cranial nerves may also be affected, including the 3rd, 5th, 8th, 9th, 11th and 12th.

The most apparent symptoms are related to facial expressions and function. In the newborn infant, the first sign is an impaired ability to suck. Excessive drooling and crossed eyes may be present. In addition, their can be deformities of the tongue and jaw, and even some limbs, including club foot and missing or webbed fingers. Most children have low muscle tone, particularly of the upper body.

Symptoms May Include:

- lack of facial expression; inability to smile
- feeding, swallowing and choking problems
- eye sensitivity due to inability to squint
- motor delays due to upper body weakness
- absence of lateral eye movement
- absence of blinking
- strabismus
- short and deformed tongue
- limited movements of tongue
- teeth problems
- hearing problems
- speech difficulties
- minor mid-line anomalies

Although they crawl and walk later than other children, most Moebius Syndrome children eventually catch up. Speech problems often respond to therapy, but may persist due to impaired mobility of the tongue and lips. As children get older, the lack of facial expression and inability to smile become the dominant visible symptoms. Moebius Syndrome is sometimes accompanied by Pierre Robin Syndrome and Poland’s Anomaly.


Description of the 12 Cranial Nerves
See also http://www.anatomie-humaine.com  rubric "nerfs crâniens"

1st = Olfactory nerve – relays smell
2nd = Optic nerve – transmits visual information
3rd = Oculomotor nerve – supplies external muscles of the eyeball with motor and sensory fibres
4th = Trochlear nerve – also supplies external muscles of the eyeball with motor and sensory fibres
5th = Trigeminal nerve – supplies muscles concerned with chewing and relays sensations from the face
6th = Abducent nerve – concerned with lateral eye movement and blinking
7th = Facial nerve – controls the muscles of facial expression, serves the taste buds on the front two-thirds of the tongue, and sensation to the skin of the fingers and toes
8th = Auditory nerve – concerned with hearing and balance
9th = Glossopharyngeal nerve – carries sensation and taste from the back of the tongue and throat; helps control swallowing
10th = Vagus nerve – carries both sensory and motor connections to many organs in the chest and abdomen
11th = Accessory nerve – supplies two neck muscles, the sternomastoid and the trapezius
12th = Hypoglossal nerve – supplies the muscles of the tongue and some of the small muscles of the neck

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