Which nerve provides taste from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue?

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Taste from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue is carried by the chorda tympani, a branch of the facial nerve. These taste fibers originate in the taste buds on that portion of the tongue and travel with the chorda tympani to join the lingual nerve (a branch of V3) in the infratemporal fossa. From there, the signals are carried to the brain via the solitary tract. The lingual nerve itself provides general sensation (touch, pain, temperature) from the same region but not taste, which is why the chorda tympani is the correct supplier of taste. By contrast, the glossopharyngeal nerve handles taste from the posterior one-third of the tongue, and the vagus handles taste related to the epiglottis and nearby areas. The chorda tympani also carries parasympathetic fibers to submandibular and sublingual glands, influencing saliva.