Question

A client who sustained a head injury reports bland taste of food. upon examination, the nurse finds that there is loss of taste perception from the anterior two-thirds region of the tongue. what is the origin of the involved nerve? medulla midbrain inferior pons cerebrum

Answer 1

Midbrain

The uppermost portion of the brainstem that connects the inner part between the brain joining it to the spinal cord. There are three central elements of the midbrain in human which are the colliculi, the tegmentum, and the cerebral peduncles.

Pons cerebrum

This portion of the brainstem is in humans and other bipeds lie secondary at the midbrain with higher to the medulla oblongata and anterior to the cerebellum.

Medulla

The interior area of an organ or membrane, particularly when it is definitely from the exterior section or cortex as into a kidney or an adrenal gland.

Answer 2

The correct answer is PONS.

The anterior two third of the tongue is innervated by the facial nerves. So, if the sensation is lost in the anterior two third of the tongue, then the damaged structure of the brain should be associated with the facial nerves. The pons of the brainstem is the site of the emergence of the facial nerves. Hence, in case of non functioning facial nerves, the pons would be damaged.