Taste to anterior two-thirds of the tongue is tested by which nerve?

• A. CN VII
• B. CN IX
• C. CN X
• D. CN XII

Answer: (A)

Taste from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue is carried by the chorda tympani, a branch of the facial nerve. This gustatory signal travels with the lingual nerve and relays in the solitary nucleus in the brainstem. The posterior one-third gets taste from the glossopharyngeal nerve, while taste from areas like the epiglottis is by the vagus. So for the front two-thirds, the nerve responsible is the facial nerve.