Prepare for the Individual Readiness Assurance Test (iRAT) 4 in Head and Neck. Study with multiple-choice questions, comprehensive explanations, and detailed flashcards. Maximize your chances of success with thorough preparation and insightful study resources.

Multiple Choice

The general sensation of the anterior two-thirds of the tongue is via which nerve?

General sensation (touch, pain, temperature) from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue is carried by the lingual nerve, which is a branch of the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve. This specific branch provides the somatic sensory fibers to that tongue region, while taste there is carried by the chorda tympani (a branch of the facial nerve) that joins the lingual nerve to reach the tongue. The glossopharyngeal nerve handles general sensation for the posterior one-third of the tongue, not the anterior part. While the trigeminal nerve is the overarching source of facial sensation, the direct pathway for the anterior two-thirds’ general sensation is specifically through the lingual nerve. The facial nerve delivers taste rather than general sensation to this area.

General sensation (touch, pain, temperature) from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue is carried by the lingual nerve, which is a branch of the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve. This specific branch provides the somatic sensory fibers to that tongue region, while taste there is carried by the chorda tympani (a branch of the facial nerve) that joins the lingual nerve to reach the tongue.

The glossopharyngeal nerve handles general sensation for the posterior one-third of the tongue, not the anterior part. While the trigeminal nerve is the overarching source of facial sensation, the direct pathway for the anterior two-thirds’ general sensation is specifically through the lingual nerve. The facial nerve delivers taste rather than general sensation to this area.