Neuroanatomy: language areas: 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 · Neuroanatomy: language areas

Sample item

After a stroke, a right-handed man speaks fluently with normal grammar and understands commands, but cannot repeat the sentence he has just heard and substitutes wrong words. Which structure is most likely damaged?

ABroca area in the inferior frontal gyrusBArcuate fasciculus connecting Wernicke and Broca areasCWernicke area in the superior temporal gyrusDPrimary auditory cortex in the transverse temporal gyrus

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Arcuate fasciculus connecting Wernicke and Broca areas

The arcuate fasciculus links the receptive Wernicke area with the expressive Broca area. Its lesion gives conduction aphasia, with fluent speech, good comprehension and poor repetition. Broca lesions cause non-fluent speech and Wernicke lesions cause fluent but meaningless speech with poor comprehension.

Option by option

A. Broca area in the inferior frontal gyrus
Broca area damage causes effortful, non-fluent speech with preserved comprehension.
B. Arcuate fasciculus connecting Wernicke and Broca areas (correct)
Correct. Disconnection of the two language areas impairs repetition alone.
C. Wernicke area in the superior temporal gyrus
Wernicke area damage causes impaired comprehension, which is normal here.
D. Primary auditory cortex in the transverse temporal gyrus
Primary auditory cortex damage would not selectively impair repetition and fluency.

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.

Questions about this Anatomy question

What is the answer to this Anatomy question?

The best answer is B, Arcuate fasciculus connecting Wernicke and Broca areas. The arcuate fasciculus links the receptive Wernicke area with the expressive Broca area.

Why is "Broca area in the inferior frontal gyrus" not the answer?

Broca area damage causes effortful, non-fluent speech with preserved comprehension.

Why is "Wernicke area in the superior temporal gyrus" not the answer?

Wernicke area damage causes impaired comprehension, which is normal here.

Why is "Primary auditory cortex in the transverse temporal gyrus" not the answer?

Primary auditory cortex damage would not selectively impair repetition and fluency.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Neuroanatomy: language areas in Anatomy. Its lesion gives conduction aphasia, with fluent speech, good comprehension and poor repetition. Broca lesions cause non-fluent speech and Wernicke lesions cause fluent but meaningless speech with poor comprehension.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. 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 Neuroanatomy: language areas?

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.