AEMCA Practice Exam

The accessory nerve primarily controls which function?

1. Facial sensations

2. Neck and back muscle control

3. Gastric motility

4. Taste sensation

The correct answer is: Neck and back muscle control

The accessory nerve, also known as cranial nerve XI, is primarily responsible for controlling certain muscles in the neck and back. Specifically, it innervates the sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles, which are crucial for movements such as turning the head and shrugging the shoulders. This makes the function associated with neck and back muscle control the correct focus regarding the functions served by the accessory nerve. The other options pertain to different cranial nerves or functions that are not related to the accessory nerve's role. For example, facial sensations are primarily managed by the trigeminal nerve, gastric motility is regulated by various autonomic nerves including the vagus nerve, and taste sensation is associated with different cranial nerves, such as the facial nerve for the anterior two-thirds of the tongue and the glossopharyngeal nerve for the posterior one-third.