A 57-year-old stroke patient is unable to swallow because of a nerve injury. Which of the following nerves is unaffected?
1.Hypoglossal nerve
2.Spinal accessory nerve
3.Hypoglossal nerve
4.Vagus nerve
5.Trigeminal nerve
Explanation:
The spinal accessory nerve supplies the sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles, which are not involved in the act of swallowing. Swallowing involves movements of the tongue to push the food into the oropharynx, elevation of the soft palate to close the entrance of the nasopharynx, elevation of the hyoid bone and the larynx to close the opening into the larynx, and contraction of the pharyngeal constrictors to move the food through the pharynx. The hypoglossal nerve supplies all of the tongue muscles except the palatoglossus, which is innervated by the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve innervates the muscles of the palate, larynx, and pharynx. The mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve supplies the suprahyoid muscles (e.g., the anterior belly of the digastric and the mylohyoid muscles).