Nose: post-traumatic anosmia mechanism: practice question

A ENT 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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ENT · Nose: post-traumatic anosmia mechanism

Sample item

After a fall on the back of his head, a man loses his sense of smell completely and notes that food tastes bland, though he can still distinguish salty and sweet. What is the likely mechanism?

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Shearing of the olfactory nerve filaments at the cribriform plate

A coup-contrecoup injury moves the brain relative to the skull, and the delicate olfactory fila passing through the cribriform plate are torn. Basic tastes via the facial, glossopharyngeal and vagal nerves remain, but flavour depends on smell. Recovery is poor when loss is complete.

Option by option

  • A. Shearing of the olfactory nerve filaments at the cribriform plate (correct)

    Correct. The fila are sheared at the cribriform plate.

  • B. Damage to the lingual nerve

    The lingual nerve carries general sensation and taste from the anterior tongue.

  • C. Damage to the facial nerve

    The facial nerve carries anterior taste, which is preserved here.

  • D. Septal deviation only

    Septal deviation does not explain complete anosmia.

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.

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Questions about this ENT question

What is the answer to this ENT question?

The best answer is A, Shearing of the olfactory nerve filaments at the cribriform plate. A coup-contrecoup injury moves the brain relative to the skull, and the delicate olfactory fila passing through the cribriform plate are torn.

Why is "Damage to the lingual nerve" not the answer?

The lingual nerve carries general sensation and taste from the anterior tongue.

Why is "Damage to the facial nerve" not the answer?

The facial nerve carries anterior taste, which is preserved here.

Why is "Septal deviation only" not the answer?

Septal deviation does not explain complete anosmia.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Nose: post-traumatic anosmia mechanism in ENT. Basic tastes via the facial, glossopharyngeal and vagal nerves remain, but flavour depends on smell. Recovery is poor when loss is complete.

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 Nose: post-traumatic anosmia mechanism?

Learn tuning fork results and audiogram patterns by sketching them. Then use the flashcards and the other ENT 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.