Which cranial nerve is responsible for
Pain from biting the back of the tongue
I think it is either trigeminal or glossopharyngeal but I am not sure
You're on the right track! The cranial nerve responsible for transmitting pain from biting the back of the tongue is the glossopharyngeal nerve. The trigeminal nerve is primarily responsible for sensation in the face, including the jaw and oral cavity.
To be more certain, we can delve into the process of elimination by understanding the functions of both cranial nerves:
1. Trigeminal nerve (cranial nerve V): This nerve has three branches - ophthalmic (V1), maxillary (V2), and mandibular (V3). It is responsible for facial sensation, including pain, touch, and temperature, from the forehead to the jaw, but there is no direct involvement with the back of the tongue.
2. Glossopharyngeal nerve (cranial nerve IX): This nerve is responsible for various functions, such as taste sensation from the posterior third of the tongue, sensory information from the tonsils and pharynx, and control of certain throat muscles. Additionally, it carries general sensory fibers from the back of the tongue, which include pain sensation.
Therefore, in this case, the glossopharyngeal nerve (cranial nerve IX) is the more likely candidate responsible for transmitting pain from biting the back of the tongue.