Oral anatomy: Frey syndrome: practice question

A Dentistry 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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Dentistry · Oral anatomy: Frey syndrome

Sample item

Months after parotidectomy a patient sweats and flushes over the cheek while eating. Aberrant regeneration of which nerve explains this?

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Auriculotemporal nerve

In Frey syndrome, parasympathetic secretomotor fibres of the auriculotemporal nerve regrow into the sympathetically supplied sweat glands and cutaneous vessels of the cheek. Gustatory stimulation then causes sweating and flushing.

Option by option

  • A. Auriculotemporal nerve (correct)

    Correct. Misdirected auriculotemporal fibres cause gustatory sweating.

  • B. Facial nerve

    Facial nerve injury causes weakness of expression, not gustatory sweating.

  • C. Greater auricular nerve

    The greater auricular is sensory, and its injury causes ear numbness, not sweating.

  • D. Lingual nerve

    The lingual nerve carries tongue sensation and taste, and is not involved.

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 Dentistry question

What is the answer to this Dentistry question?

The best answer is A, Auriculotemporal nerve. In Frey syndrome, parasympathetic secretomotor fibres of the auriculotemporal nerve regrow into the sympathetically supplied sweat glands and cutaneous vessels of the cheek.

Why is "Facial nerve" not the answer?

Facial nerve injury causes weakness of expression, not gustatory sweating.

Why is "Greater auricular nerve" not the answer?

The greater auricular is sensory, and its injury causes ear numbness, not sweating.

Why is "Lingual nerve" not the answer?

The lingual nerve carries tongue sensation and taste, and is not involved.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Oral anatomy: Frey syndrome in Dentistry. Gustatory stimulation then causes sweating and flushing.

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 Oral anatomy: Frey syndrome?

Learn the dental formula, eruption ages and tooth structure once, as tables. Then use the flashcards and the other Dentistry 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.