ASHA Anatomy and Physiology of Communication 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which cranial nerve provides primary motor innervation to the intrinsic and extrinsic muscles of the tongue?
- CN V (Trigeminal)
- CN VII (Facial)
- CN X (Vagus)
- CN XII (Hypoglossal) (Correct answer)
Correct answer: CN XII (Hypoglossal)
The hypoglossal nerve (CN XII) supplies motor innervation to all intrinsic and most extrinsic muscles of the tongue, enabling precise articulatory movements.
Question 2: The true vocal folds attach anteriorly to the thyroid cartilage and posteriorly to which structures?
- Cricoid cartilage
- Arytenoid cartilages (Correct answer)
- Epiglottis
- Cuneiform cartilages
Correct answer: Arytenoid cartilages
The true vocal folds span from the anterior thyroid cartilage to the vocal processes of the paired arytenoid cartilages posteriorly.
Question 3: Which structure is primarily responsible for velopharyngeal closure during the production of oral consonants?
- Hard palate
- Uvula
- Velum (soft palate) (Correct answer)
- Epiglottis
Correct answer: Velum (soft palate)
The velum elevates and retracts to contact the posterior pharyngeal wall, sealing the nasopharynx and preventing nasal airflow during oral speech sounds.
Question 4: The Eustachian (auditory) tube connects the middle ear space to which anatomical region?
- Inner ear
- Nasopharynx (Correct answer)
- Oral cavity
- External auditory canal
Correct answer: Nasopharynx
The Eustachian tube connects the middle ear to the nasopharynx, allowing pressure equalization and mucociliary drainage of middle ear secretions.
Question 5: Which is the primary muscle of inhalation that powers respiratory support for speech?
- External intercostals
- Internal intercostals
- Sternocleidomastoid
- Diaphragm (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Diaphragm
The diaphragm contracts and descends during inhalation, increasing thoracic volume and lowering intrapulmonic pressure to draw air into the lungs.
Question 6: The basilar membrane within the cochlea performs which critical function?
- Amplifying sound vibrations via the ossicles
- Frequency (tonotopic) analysis of incoming sound (Correct answer)
- Producing endolymph for hair cell function
- Transmitting vibrations from the oval window to the brain
Correct answer: Frequency (tonotopic) analysis of incoming sound
The basilar membrane is tonotopically organized, with high frequencies maximally displacing the basal end and low frequencies displacing the apical end.
Question 7: Which of the following is NOT a primary function of the true vocal folds?
- Phonation during voiced speech
- Airway protection during swallowing
- Generating resonance in the vocal tract (Correct answer)
- Coughing to clear secretions from the airway
Correct answer: Generating resonance in the vocal tract
Resonance occurs supraglottically in the pharyngeal, oral, and nasal cavities; the vocal folds produce the sound source but do not function as a resonating cavity.
ASHA Anatomy and Physiology of Communication 1
Which cranial nerve provides primary motor innervation to the intrinsic and extrinsic muscles of the tongue?