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Ch. 8 Special Senses
Marieb - Essentials of Human Anatomy & Physiology 13th Edition
Marieb13th EditionEssentials of Human Anatomy & PhysiologyISBN: 9780135624340Not the one you use?Change textbook
All textbooksMarieb 13th EditionCh. 8 Special SensesProblem 3
Chapter 8, Problem 3

Cranial nerves that are part of the gustatory pathway include
a. Trigeminal
b. Facial
c. Hypoglossal
d. Glossopharyngeal

Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the gustatory pathway: The gustatory pathway is responsible for transmitting taste sensations from the tongue and other areas to the brain. It involves cranial nerves that carry sensory information related to taste.
Review the cranial nerves involved in taste: The cranial nerves associated with taste are primarily the facial nerve (cranial nerve VII) and the glossopharyngeal nerve (cranial nerve IX). These nerves carry taste signals from different parts of the tongue to the brain.
Analyze the options: a) The trigeminal nerve (cranial nerve V) is primarily involved in transmitting sensory information related to touch, pain, and temperature from the face, but not taste. b) The facial nerve (cranial nerve VII) carries taste sensations from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue. c) The hypoglossal nerve (cranial nerve XII) controls tongue movements but is not involved in taste. d) The glossopharyngeal nerve (cranial nerve IX) carries taste sensations from the posterior one-third of the tongue.
Eliminate incorrect options: Based on the functions of the cranial nerves, eliminate options that are not involved in the gustatory pathway (e.g., trigeminal and hypoglossal).
Select the correct options: Identify the cranial nerves that are part of the gustatory pathway, which are the facial nerve (b) and the glossopharyngeal nerve (d).

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Gustatory Pathway

The gustatory pathway refers to the neural pathway that transmits taste information from the taste buds to the brain. This pathway involves several cranial nerves that carry sensory signals related to taste perception, allowing the brain to interpret different flavors.
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Cranial Nerves

Cranial nerves are a set of twelve pairs of nerves that emerge directly from the brain and brainstem. They are responsible for various sensory and motor functions, including taste, and play a crucial role in the gustatory pathway, particularly the facial (VII), glossopharyngeal (IX), and vagus (X) nerves.
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Taste Sensation

Taste sensation, or gustation, is one of the five senses and involves the detection of chemical substances by taste buds located on the tongue. The primary tastes include sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami, and the perception of these tastes is facilitated by the cranial nerves associated with the gustatory pathway.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

Sounds entering the external acoustic meatus are eventually converted to nerve impulses via a chain of events including:

a. Vibration of the eardrum

b. Vibratory motion of the ossicles against the oval window

c. Stimulation of hair cells in the spiral organ of Corti

d. Resonance of the cupula

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Textbook Question

Gustatory cells are:

a. Bipolar neurons

b. Multipolar neurons

c. Unipolar neurons

d. Epithelial cells

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Textbook Question

Which of the following are paired incorrectly?

a. Cochlear duct—cupula

b. Vestibule—macula

c. Ampulla—otoliths

d. Semicircular duct—ampulla

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Textbook Question

Alkaloids excite gustatory hairs mostly at the:

a. Tip of the tongue

b. Back of the tongue

c. Vallate papillae

d. Fungiform papillae

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Textbook Question

Movement of which structure triggers the bending of hairs of the hair cells in the spiral organ of Corti?

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