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 taste sensation from the posterior one-third of the tongue is carried by which nerve?

Taste from the posterior one-third of the tongue travels with the glossopharyngeal nerve. This cranial nerve carries the special sensory (taste) fibers from that region to the brain, via the nucleus of the solitary tract. By contrast, taste for the anterior two-thirds is carried by the facial nerve (via the chorda tympani), the vagus nerve provides taste from areas like the epiglottis, and the trigeminal nerve handles only general sensation (not taste). So the posterior third’s taste is carried by the glossopharyngeal nerve.

Taste from the posterior one-third of the tongue travels with the glossopharyngeal nerve. This cranial nerve carries the special sensory (taste) fibers from that region to the brain, via the nucleus of the solitary tract. By contrast, taste for the anterior two-thirds is carried by the facial nerve (via the chorda tympani), the vagus nerve provides taste from areas like the epiglottis, and the trigeminal nerve handles only general sensation (not taste). So the posterior third’s taste is carried by the glossopharyngeal nerve.