The cricothyroid muscle is innervated by which nerve?

Prepare for the Praxis Dysphagia Test with flashcards and multiple-choice questions, designed to provide explanations and hints. Equip yourself with the knowledge needed for your examination!

Multiple Choice

The cricothyroid muscle is innervated by which nerve?

Explanation:
The cricothyroid muscle is responsible for tilting the thyroid cartilage forward to tense the vocal cords, raising pitch. Its motor supply comes specifically from the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve, a branch of the vagus nerve. Among the options, the superior laryngeal nerve best fits because the recurrent laryngeal nerve supplies all other intrinsic laryngeal muscles, while the glossopharyngeal nerve does not innervate laryngeal muscles, and the vagus nerve is the parent nerve, not the direct motor supplier to cricothyroid. Injury to this branch can impair high-pitched voice due to loss of cricothyroid tension.

The cricothyroid muscle is responsible for tilting the thyroid cartilage forward to tense the vocal cords, raising pitch. Its motor supply comes specifically from the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve, a branch of the vagus nerve. Among the options, the superior laryngeal nerve best fits because the recurrent laryngeal nerve supplies all other intrinsic laryngeal muscles, while the glossopharyngeal nerve does not innervate laryngeal muscles, and the vagus nerve is the parent nerve, not the direct motor supplier to cricothyroid. Injury to this branch can impair high-pitched voice due to loss of cricothyroid tension.

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