<prompt> Please answer with one of the option in the bracket. Write reasoning in between . Write answer in between .Q:An 87-year-old male presents to his neurologist for a follow-up visit. He is being followed for an inoperable tumor near his skull. He reports that he recently noticed that food has started to lose its taste. He also notes increasing difficulty with swallowing. He has a history of myocardial infarction, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and presbycusis. He takes aspirin, metoprolol, metformin, glyburide, atorvastatin, lisinopril, and hydrochlorothiazide. On examination, the patient is a frail-appearing male sitting in a wheelchair. He is oriented to person, place, and time. Gag reflex is absent on the right side. A taste evaluation is performed which demonstrates a decreased ability to detect sour and bitter substances on the right posterior tongue. The nerve responsible for this patients loss of taste sensation also has which of the following functions?? A: Parasympathetic innervation to the parotid gland, B: Parasympathetic innervation to the submandibular gland, C: Parasympathetic innervation to the trachea, D: Somatic sensory innervation to the lower lip, E: Somatic sensory innervation to the roof of the pharynx,  <response>: This is a clinical vignette about an 87-year-old male with a history of multiple medical conditions who is being followed for an inoperable tumor near his skull. He is experiencing new symptoms of loss of taste sensation and difficulty swallowing. On exam he has an absent gag reflex on the right side and decreased ability to detect sour and bitter tastes on the right posterior tongue. Based on the clinical presentation, the most likely affected nerve is the glossopharyngeal nerve cranial nerve IX. This nerve provides general sensory innervation to the posterior 13 of the tongue, soft palate, pharynx, and tonsils. It also provides parasympathetic innervation to the parotid gland. Loss of taste sensation on the posterior 13 of the tongue indicates the sensory branch of CN IX is affected. Difficulty swallowing and absent gag reflex on the right side also localize the lesion to CN IX.The answer choices list various functions of cranial nerves in the head and neck region. Choices A, B, C relate to parasympathetic innervation of glands and trachea supplied by different nerves. Choices D and E relate to sensory innervation of areas supplied by the trigeminal and vagus nerves respectively. Only choice A matches a function of the glossopharyngeal nerve that is affected in this patient based on the clinical findings.A: Parasympathetic innervation to the parotid gland 