Hypoglossal nerve supplies all muscles except
**Core Concept**
The hypoglossal nerve (CN XII) is a motor nerve that innervates the extrinsic and intrinsic muscles of the tongue, playing a crucial role in tongue movements, including protrusion, retraction, and manipulation of food during mastication and swallowing.
**Why the Correct Answer is Right**
The hypoglossal nerve supplies all the muscles of the tongue except the palatoglossus muscle, which is innervated by the vagus nerve (CN X) via the pharyngeal plexus. The palatoglossus muscle is involved in elevating the posterior part of the tongue and floor of the mouth during swallowing. The hypoglossal nerve, on the other hand, innervates the genioglossus, hyoglossus, and styloglossus muscles, which are responsible for protruding, retracting, and elevating the tongue, respectively.
**Why Each Wrong Option is Incorrect**
* **Option A:** This option is not provided, but it might be a distractor like "Stylohyoid muscle" which is actually innervated by the facial nerve (CN VII). However, since the stylohyoid muscle is not listed, this option cannot be evaluated.
* **Option B:** This option is not provided, and without knowing its content, we cannot evaluate its correctness.
* **Option C:** This option is not provided, and without knowing its content, we cannot evaluate its correctness.
**Clinical Pearl / High-Yield Fact**
The hypoglossal nerve is a branch of the anterior ramus of the first cervical nerve (C1), and its nucleus is located in the medulla oblongata. The nerve exits the skull through the hypoglossal canal and enters the tongue, where it forms a complex network of fibers that innervate the various muscles.
**Correct Answer: D. Palatoglossus.