What is a key difference between peripheral and central facial nerve palsy?

Correct answer is B) The key difference is that peripheral facial nerve palsy is typically caused by damage or compression of the facial nerve after it has exited the brainstem, while central facial nerve palsy is due to a lesion or dysfunction in the central nervous system (usually the upper motor neuron pathway). In central facial nerve palsy, the facial nerve itself is intact, but the signals from the brain to control facial movements are disrupted. A) Incorrect. The distribution of facial weakness in peripheral versus central facial nerve palsy can vary. Most often the peripheral facial paralysis affects all movement on one side of the face while the central facial nerve palsy presents with a weakness in the lower part of the face only. C) Incorrect. Hyperacusis (increased sensitivity to sound) is not a typical feature of facial nerve palsy, whether peripheral or central. D) Incorrect. The permanence or temporary nature of facial nerve palsy (both peripheral and central) depends on the underlying cause and can vary widely in individual cases. Neither is consistently always permanent or always temporary.