Larynx: practice question

A Anatomy question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Anatomy · Larynx

Sample item

Which intrinsic muscle of the larynx is the only abductor of the vocal cords?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

D. Posterior cricoarytenoid

Posterior cricoarytenoid rotates the arytenoids outward and opens the glottis. It is supplied by the recurrent laryngeal nerve. Bilateral paralysis can leave the cords closed and the airway critically narrow.

Option by option

  • A. Lateral cricoarytenoid

    Lateral cricoarytenoid adducts the cords, the opposite action.

  • B. Thyroarytenoid

    Thyroarytenoid relaxes and shortens the cords and also adducts.

  • C. Cricothyroid

    Cricothyroid tenses the cords and is supplied by the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve.

  • D. Posterior cricoarytenoid (correct)

    Correct. It is the safety muscle of the airway: the only one that opens the cords.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More Anatomy questions

Questions about this Anatomy question

What is the answer to this Anatomy question?

The best answer is D, Posterior cricoarytenoid. Posterior cricoarytenoid rotates the arytenoids outward and opens the glottis.

Why is "Lateral cricoarytenoid" not the answer?

Lateral cricoarytenoid adducts the cords, the opposite action.

Why is "Thyroarytenoid" not the answer?

Thyroarytenoid relaxes and shortens the cords and also adducts.

Why is "Cricothyroid" not the answer?

Cricothyroid tenses the cords and is supplied by the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Larynx in Anatomy. It is supplied by the recurrent laryngeal nerve. Bilateral paralysis can leave the cords closed and the airway critically narrow.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Larynx?

Learn every nerve by its route, its muscles and what a lesion looks like at the bedside. That one habit answers a large share of questions. Then use the flashcards and the other Anatomy questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.