What dosage of Pilocarpine is used to diagnose a CN 3 palsy?

The correct dosage of Pilocarpine used to diagnose a cranial nerve III (CN III) palsy is 1%. This dosage is significant because it is strong enough to induce miosis in the affected eye if the pupil is sluggish or dilated due to the CN III palsy. In cases where there is an implication of an Adie's pupil, which is a form of oculomotor nerve damage, lower concentrations such as 0.1% or 0.5% would often be used, as they elicit less of a response. The neurogenic origin of a CN III palsy due to an aneurysm or other causes may not respond to these lower concentrations, making 1% Pilocarpine suitable for accurately determining the extent of the nerve dysfunction.

This concentration is utilized in a clinical setting to differentiate between pathologies affecting pupil size and reaction. The expected outcome is that if the cause of the dilated pupil is due to a CN III palsy, the application of 1% Pilocarpine would usually result in significant constriction of the pupil, reflecting the reduced activity of the parasympathetic fibers that are typically responsive to Pilocarpine.