Practice Test Geeks(ASHA) American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Certification Practice Test
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Anatomy and Physiology of Communication Flashcards

7 cards from real ASHA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Anatomy and Physiology of Communication flashcards as text

  1. In correct anatomical order from lateral (tympanic membrane) to medial (oval window), the three ossicles are:

    Answer: Malleus, incus, stapes

    Vibrations travel from the tympanic membrane to the malleus handle, then via the incudomallear joint to the incus, and finally through the incudostapedial joint to the stapes footplate at the oval window.

  2. Glottal fry (pulse register) is characterized by which pattern of vocal fold vibration?

    Answer: Irregular, very low-frequency vibration producing a creaking quality

    In pulse register (vocal fry), the vocal folds vibrate at irregular, very low rates (20–70 Hz), producing the characteristic popping or creaking sound quality.

  3. Broca's area, critical for speech motor programming and expressive language, is located in which brain region?

    Answer: Inferior frontal gyrus of the left hemisphere

    Broca's area occupies Brodmann areas 44 and 45 in the left inferior frontal gyrus (pars triangularis and pars opercularis), supporting speech motor planning and syntactic processing.

  4. The gag reflex afferent limb is carried by CN IX (Glossopharyngeal), while the efferent (motor) limb is primarily carried by which nerve?

    Answer: CN X (Vagus)

    CN IX provides sensory input from the posterior pharynx triggering the gag, while CN X (vagus) carries motor commands to the pharyngeal constrictors and soft palate to execute the reflex.

  5. Wernicke's area, associated with auditory language comprehension, is located in which brain region?

    Answer: Left posterior superior temporal gyrus

    Wernicke's area (Brodmann area 22) in the left posterior superior temporal gyrus is essential for decoding incoming speech and understanding language.

  6. Phonation threshold pressure (PTP) is defined as:

    Answer: The minimum subglottal air pressure required to initiate and sustain vocal fold vibration

    PTP is the minimum subglottal pressure needed to overcome vocal fold tissue stiffness and surface tension to set the folds into self-sustained oscillation.

  7. Which resonating cavity is predominantly responsible for adding nasal quality to the voice when the velopharyngeal port is open?

    Answer: Nasal cavity

    When the velum lowers and the velopharyngeal port opens, the nasal cavity couples acoustically with the vocal tract, adding nasal resonance to the voice.