Head and neck: soft palate palsy: 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 · Head and neck: soft palate palsy

Sample item

When a patient says 'ah', the uvula deviates to the left and the right side of the soft palate fails to rise. A lesion of which nerve is responsible?

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Right vagus nerve through the pharyngeal plexus

Palatal elevation uses levator veli palatini, musculus uvulae and palatopharyngeus, supplied through the pharyngeal plexus (vagus nerve). If one side is paralysed, the normal side pulls the uvula toward itself, so the uvula deviates away from the lesion.

Option by option

  • A. Right vagus nerve through the pharyngeal plexus (correct)

    Correct. A right vagal lesion paralyses the right palate and the uvula deviates to the healthy left side.

  • B. Right mandibular nerve

    The mandibular nerve supplies tensor veli palatini, which tenses the palate but does not raise the uvula.

  • C. Left vagus nerve through the pharyngeal plexus

    A left vagal lesion would pull the uvula to the right.

  • D. Right glossopharyngeal nerve

    The glossopharyngeal nerve supplies stylopharyngeus only, and gives sensory supply to the oropharynx.

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 A, Right vagus nerve through the pharyngeal plexus. Palatal elevation uses levator veli palatini, musculus uvulae and palatopharyngeus, supplied through the pharyngeal plexus (vagus nerve).

Why is "Right mandibular nerve" not the answer?

The mandibular nerve supplies tensor veli palatini, which tenses the palate but does not raise the uvula.

Why is "Left vagus nerve through the pharyngeal plexus" not the answer?

A left vagal lesion would pull the uvula to the right.

Why is "Right glossopharyngeal nerve" not the answer?

The glossopharyngeal nerve supplies stylopharyngeus only, and gives sensory supply to the oropharynx.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Head and neck: soft palate palsy in Anatomy. If one side is paralysed, the normal side pulls the uvula toward itself, so the uvula deviates away from the lesion.

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 Head and neck: soft palate palsy?

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.