A patient with parotid gland cancer has damage to the glossopharyngeal nerve. As a result, which of the following respiratory reflexes will be impaired?: (A) Hering-Breuer inflation reflex, (B) Juxta pulmonary capillary ( J) receptor reflex, (C) Irritant airway reflex, (D) Carotid body chemoreceptor reflex
Answer is D. The afferent pathway from the carotid body chemoreceptors is Hering's nerve, a branch of cranial nerve IX, the glossopharyngeal nerve. The vagus nerve constitutes the afferent pathway from the aoic chemoreceptors, the J receptors, the irritant airway receptors, and the rapidly adapting stretch receptors mediating the Hering-Breuer inflation reflex.