Oral anatomy: taste pathway: 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: taste pathway

Sample item

A patient loses taste over the anterior two-thirds of the tongue after a middle-ear surgery. Taste fibres from this region ultimately belong to which cranial nerve?

AFacial nerveBVagus nerveCGlossopharyngeal nerveDHypoglossal nerve

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Facial nerve

Taste from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue is carried by the chorda tympani, a branch of the facial nerve that joins the lingual nerve. It passes through the middle ear, so it is vulnerable in ear surgery.

Option by option

A. Facial nerve (correct)
Correct. The chorda tympani is a branch of the facial nerve.
B. Vagus nerve
The vagus supplies taste from the epiglottic region.
C. Glossopharyngeal nerve
The glossopharyngeal nerve supplies taste from the posterior third.
D. Hypoglossal nerve
The hypoglossal nerve is purely motor to the tongue muscles.

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 Dentistry question

What is the answer to this Dentistry question?

The best answer is A, Facial nerve. Taste from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue is carried by the chorda tympani, a branch of the facial nerve that joins the lingual nerve.

Why is "Vagus nerve" not the answer?

The vagus supplies taste from the epiglottic region.

Why is "Glossopharyngeal nerve" not the answer?

The glossopharyngeal nerve supplies taste from the posterior third.

Why is "Hypoglossal nerve" not the answer?

The hypoglossal nerve is purely motor to the tongue muscles.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Oral anatomy: taste pathway in Dentistry. It passes through the middle ear, so it is vulnerable in ear surgery.

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 Oral anatomy: taste pathway?

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.