SLP PRAXIS EXAM 2026 COMMUNICATION
DISORDERS AND CLINICAL PRACTICE
ASSESSMENT STUDY GUIDE COMPLETE
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
◉ Glossopharyngeal: function and damage Answer: Provides
sensory information to posterior 1/3 of tongue
Provides motor information to muscles of pharynx (some)
Damage could result in loss of taste, difficulty swallowing and
damage to the gag reflex.
◉ Vagus: function and damage Answer: Provides sensory and motor
information to some muscles of larynx and pharynx.
There is the recurrent laryngeal nerve which is responsible for
intrinsic muscles of larynx (except cricothryoid)
The pharyngeal branch is responsible for the pharyngeal
constrictors and most muscles of velum (except tensor tympani)
,Damage could result in swallowing issues, velum paralysis and voice
problems
◉ Spinal accessory: function and damage Answer: Provides motor
information to head and shoulder and some soft palate.
Damage could result in neck weakness, inability to turn head, shrug
or raise arms
◉ Hypoglossal: function and damage Answer: Provides motor
information to all intrinsic and some extrinsic muscles of the tongue.
Damage could result in tongue paralysis, unintelligible speech and
swallowing issues
◉ Describe spinal nerves. Answer: Cervical: 8 pairs. Neck
Thoracic: 12 pairs. Chest
Lumbar: 5
Sacral: 5
Coccygeal: 1
◉ What is the temporal lobe responsible for? Answer: Processing
hearing information and comprehending speech. Contains primary
auditory cortex, Heschl's gyrus and Wernicke's area.
,◉ What is the frontal lobe responsible for? Answer: Important for
planning, decision making, etc.
Contains important speech structures, such as Broca's, primary
motor cortex (aka motor strip. controls voluntary movements) and
the supplementary motor cortex (helps with motor planning of
speech)
◉ What is the parietal lobe responsible for? Answer: Contains the
primary somatic sensory area, which integrates somesthetic
information (pressures, pain, temperature, touch).
Also contains supra marginal gyrus and the angular gyrus
◉ What are the structures of the cerebrum? Answer: Longitudinal
fissure: goes along middle of hemispheres
Central sulcus: divides frontal and parietal
Lateral fissure: divides frontal and temporal
◉ Cerebellum: function and damage Answer: It acts as a modulator
for neural activity.
It regulates balance, posture and fine motor movements
, Damage to the cerebellum results in ataxia. Loss of voluntary
control.
Think: COORDINATION
◉ Basal ganglia: function and damage Answer: The basal ganglia is a
highly complex system of neural pathways that receive input and
relay messages back to the brain via the thalamus.
Damage to the BG results in unusual body postures, dysarthria,
involuntary movements, changes in body tone. It's part of the
extrapyramidal system which regulates motor movements.
◉ Discuss the brainstem and its structures. Answer: Contains
midbrain, pons and medulla
The midbrain, aka mesencephalon, controls motor and sensory
reflexes.
The pons, aka metencehpalon, transmit information relative to
movement from the hemispheres to the cerebellum. they act as a
message station.
The medulla houses several cranial nerves for speech production
DISORDERS AND CLINICAL PRACTICE
ASSESSMENT STUDY GUIDE COMPLETE
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
◉ Glossopharyngeal: function and damage Answer: Provides
sensory information to posterior 1/3 of tongue
Provides motor information to muscles of pharynx (some)
Damage could result in loss of taste, difficulty swallowing and
damage to the gag reflex.
◉ Vagus: function and damage Answer: Provides sensory and motor
information to some muscles of larynx and pharynx.
There is the recurrent laryngeal nerve which is responsible for
intrinsic muscles of larynx (except cricothryoid)
The pharyngeal branch is responsible for the pharyngeal
constrictors and most muscles of velum (except tensor tympani)
,Damage could result in swallowing issues, velum paralysis and voice
problems
◉ Spinal accessory: function and damage Answer: Provides motor
information to head and shoulder and some soft palate.
Damage could result in neck weakness, inability to turn head, shrug
or raise arms
◉ Hypoglossal: function and damage Answer: Provides motor
information to all intrinsic and some extrinsic muscles of the tongue.
Damage could result in tongue paralysis, unintelligible speech and
swallowing issues
◉ Describe spinal nerves. Answer: Cervical: 8 pairs. Neck
Thoracic: 12 pairs. Chest
Lumbar: 5
Sacral: 5
Coccygeal: 1
◉ What is the temporal lobe responsible for? Answer: Processing
hearing information and comprehending speech. Contains primary
auditory cortex, Heschl's gyrus and Wernicke's area.
,◉ What is the frontal lobe responsible for? Answer: Important for
planning, decision making, etc.
Contains important speech structures, such as Broca's, primary
motor cortex (aka motor strip. controls voluntary movements) and
the supplementary motor cortex (helps with motor planning of
speech)
◉ What is the parietal lobe responsible for? Answer: Contains the
primary somatic sensory area, which integrates somesthetic
information (pressures, pain, temperature, touch).
Also contains supra marginal gyrus and the angular gyrus
◉ What are the structures of the cerebrum? Answer: Longitudinal
fissure: goes along middle of hemispheres
Central sulcus: divides frontal and parietal
Lateral fissure: divides frontal and temporal
◉ Cerebellum: function and damage Answer: It acts as a modulator
for neural activity.
It regulates balance, posture and fine motor movements
, Damage to the cerebellum results in ataxia. Loss of voluntary
control.
Think: COORDINATION
◉ Basal ganglia: function and damage Answer: The basal ganglia is a
highly complex system of neural pathways that receive input and
relay messages back to the brain via the thalamus.
Damage to the BG results in unusual body postures, dysarthria,
involuntary movements, changes in body tone. It's part of the
extrapyramidal system which regulates motor movements.
◉ Discuss the brainstem and its structures. Answer: Contains
midbrain, pons and medulla
The midbrain, aka mesencephalon, controls motor and sensory
reflexes.
The pons, aka metencehpalon, transmit information relative to
movement from the hemispheres to the cerebellum. they act as a
message station.
The medulla houses several cranial nerves for speech production
