Throat: Physiology and Anatomy

Question 1

what are the two parts of the oral cavity?

Answer 1

> oral vestibule

> oral cavity proper

Question 2

what are the boundaries of the oral cavity?

Answer 2

> lips to platoglossal arch
palate to floor of mouth/tongue
buccal mucosa

Question 3

where does the parotid gland usually open up to the oral cavity?

Answer 3

opposite the second maxillary second molar tooth

Question 4

what nerve supplies somatic afferent innervation to the anterior two-thirds of the tongue?

Answer 4

the lingual nerve

Question 5

what is the lingual nerve a branch of?

Answer 5

the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve

Question 6

what provides taste sensation to the anterior 2/3 of the tongue?

Answer 6

chorda tympani nerve of the facial nerve

Question 7

what are the functions of the oral cavity?

Answer 7

> taste
> mastication
> speech
> digestion
> swallowing

Question 8

what is the nerve supply of the posterior 1/3 of the tongue?

Answer 8

> 3rd branchial arch

> CNIX

Question 9

do the fulliform papillae contain taste buds?

Answer 9

no

Question 10

where in the tongue are fungiform papillae found?

Answer 10

scattered throughout the dorsum of the tongue

Question 11

where are circumvallate papillae found in the tongue?

Answer 11

in a row just anterior to the sulcus terminalis

Question 12

what type of muscles alters the shape of the tongue?

Answer 12

intrinsic muscles

Question 13

what types of muscles alters the position of the tongue?

Answer 13

the extrinsic muscles

Question 14

name the extrinsic muscles of the tongue?

Answer 14

> genioglossus
styloglossus
hypoglossus
palatoglossus

Question 15

what four muscles are involved in mastication?

Answer 15

> lateral pterygoid
medial pterygoid
temporalis
masseter

Question 16

what is the nerve supply in mastication?

Answer 16

CN V3 (mandibular branch of trigeminal nerve)

Question 17

what do the muscles involved in mastication work on?

Answer 17

the temporal mandibular joint

Question 18

what are the boundaries of the oropharynx?

Answer 18

> lower border of soft palate to upper margin of epiglottis
palatoglossal arch to posterior pharyngeal wall
lateral: faucial pillars and palatine tonsils

Question 19

what type of epithelium is found in the oropharynx?

Answer 19

stratified non-keratinised squamous

Question 20

what is the nerve supply to the oropharynx?

Answer 20

pharyngeal plexus CNIX and X

Question 21

what is the blood supply of the hypopharynx?

Answer 21

> superior thyroid artery
lingual artery
ascending pharyngeal artery

Question 22

what is the nerve innervation of the hypopharynx?

Answer 22

pharyngeal plexus

Question 23

what are the boundaries of the hypopharynx?

Answer 23

> superior margin of epiglottis to lower border of cricoid
anterior wall = back of larynx
continuous with the eosophagus

Question 24

what three subsites is the hypopharynx divided into?

Answer 24

> pyriform sinus
post-cricoid area
posterior pharyngeal wall

Question 25

name the three phases of swallowing

Answer 25

> oral phase > pharyngeal phase > oesophageal phase

Question 26

describe the oral phase of swallowing

Answer 26

the tongue propels the food into pharynx triggering the swallow reflex (afferent: CNV,IX,X and efferent: CN VII,X,XII)

Question 27

describe the pharyngeal swallowing phase

Answer 27

the soft palate is pulled upwards so and the epiglottis covers the larynx, vocal cord approximate. the larynx moves upwards. the upper oesophageal sphincter relaxes and the respiration reflex is inhibited.

Question 28

describe the oesophageal phase in swallowing

Answer 28

the bolus passes through the upper oesophageal sphincter which then constricts. the bolus is propelled downwards by peristaltic motion, reflex via the myenteric plexus.

Question 29

what is the function of the larynx?

Answer 29

> respiratory tract > voice > swallowing

Question 30

name three parts of the larynx

Answer 30

> supraglottis > glottis > subglottis

Question 31

describe the location of the supraglottis

Answer 31

it extends form the superior tip of the epiglottis to the floor of the ventricular fold

Question 32

describe the location of the glottis

Answer 32

begins superiorly at the true vocal fold and extends inferiorly to a horizontal plane 5mm inferior to the vocal cord

Question 33

describe the subglottis location

Answer 33

begins 5mm below the free edge of the true vocal cord and proceeds to the inferior border of the cricoid cartilage

Question 34

name the cartilage present in the larynx

Answer 34

> cricoid cartilage > thyroid cartilage > epiglottis > paired arytenoid cartilages

Question 35

what is the action of the extrinsic muscles on the larynx?

Answer 35

movement of the entire laryngeal complex

Question 36

what is the action of intrinsic muscles on the larynx?

Answer 36

regulation of the movement of the vocal cords

Question 37

what nerve innervates all but one of the intrinsic muscles of the larynx?

Answer 37

recurrent laryngeal nerve

Question 38

what nerve innervates the cricothyroid muscle?

Answer 38

external laryngeal nerve

Question 39

what is the sensory innervation of the supraglottis?

Answer 39

internal laryngeal nerve

Question 40

what is the sensory innervation of the glottis and subglottis?

Answer 40

recurrent laryngeal nerve

Question 41

what does the left laryngeal nerve have a higher risk of injury during surgery?

Answer 41

it has a longer course as it loops around the aortic arch

Question 42

describe phonation in speech

Answer 42

flow of air through different VC positions, tensions, vibrations and length

Question 43

what determines articulation?

Answer 43

action of lips, tongue and jaw

Question 44

what is prosody?

Answer 44

production of syllable stress and emphasis providing effective speech tone