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

Which nerve supplies all intrinsic laryngeal muscles except the cricothyroid?

The main idea is how intrinsic laryngeal muscles are innervated. The recurrent laryngeal nerve, a branch of the vagus, provides motor innervation to nearly all intrinsic laryngeal muscles—those that move the vocal folds and control their tension and position. The one exception is the cricothyroid muscle, which is innervated by the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve (also from the vagus). The internal branch of the superior laryngeal nerve carries sensory fibers to the laryngeal mucosa above the vocal cords, not motor. The glossopharyngeal nerve doesn’t supply intrinsic laryngeal muscles. So, the nerve that supplies all intrinsic laryngeal muscles except the cricothyroid is the recurrent laryngeal nerve.

The main idea is how intrinsic laryngeal muscles are innervated. The recurrent laryngeal nerve, a branch of the vagus, provides motor innervation to nearly all intrinsic laryngeal muscles—those that move the vocal folds and control their tension and position. The one exception is the cricothyroid muscle, which is innervated by the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve (also from the vagus). The internal branch of the superior laryngeal nerve carries sensory fibers to the laryngeal mucosa above the vocal cords, not motor. The glossopharyngeal nerve doesn’t supply intrinsic laryngeal muscles. So, the nerve that supplies all intrinsic laryngeal muscles except the cricothyroid is the recurrent laryngeal nerve.