NEET MDS 2026: MERITERS PREDICTIONS | Anatomy - 10 MOST LIKELY Question Topics

A targeted breakdown of the highest priority topics based on recent question patterns and examiner logic.

1. Trigeminal Nerve (CN V)

High Priority

Core Focus

Foramina: V1 (Superior Orbital Fissure), V2 (Rotundum), V3 (Ovale)
V3 (Mandibular Nerve): Anterior trunk (mostly motor + buccal nerve), Posterior trunk (mostly sensory + mylohyoid nerve)
Lingual Nerve vs Inferior Alveolar Nerve relations

NEET MDS Logic

The dentist's nerve. You must know every branch. A classic trap is the Buccal nerve (Long buccal), it is sensory, even though it comes off the primarily motor anterior trunk of V3.

Framing: "Which of the following nerves exits the middle cranial fossa through the Foramen Ovale?"

Past Question Patterns

NEET MDS 2024: Nerve passing through Foramen Rotundum.
NEET MDS 2021: The purely sensory branch from the anterior division of the mandibular nerve is.
NEET MDS 2020: Nerve supply to the anterior belly of digastric.
INI-CET 2021: The Trigeminal ganglion is located in.

2. Facial Nerve (CN VII)

Core Focus

Intracranial branches: Greater petrosal, Nerve to stapedius, Chorda tympani
Extracranial branches: TZBMC - Tall Zebras Bite My Cheek (Temporal, Zygomatic, Buccal, Marginal Mandibular, Cervical)
UMN vs LMN Lesion: UMN spares the upper face (forehead), LMN (Bell's palsy) affects the entire half of the face

NEET MDS Logic

Examiners love testing the lesions. Because the forehead gets bilateral cortical innervation, a stroke (UMN) spares the forehead, while Bell's Palsy (LMN) paralyzes it entirely.

Framing: "A patient presents with paralysis of the lower half of the right face but can wrinkle their forehead normally. This indicates a lesion in the?"

Past Question Patterns

NEET MDS 2025: Sparing of the forehead muscles during facial paralysis indicates.
NEET MDS 2022: Taste sensation from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue is carried by.
NEET MDS 2019: Hyperacusis is caused by paralysis of which muscle?
AIIMS 2018: Nerve exiting the skull via the stylomastoid foramen.

3. Pharyngeal Arches (Embryology)

Core Focus

1^st Arch: Meckel's cartilage (Malleus, Incus), Muscles of mastication, CN V
2^nd Arch: Reichert's cartilage (Stapes, Styloid process), Muscles of facial expression, CN VII
3^rd Arch: Greater cornu of hyoid, Stylopharyngeus, CN IX

NEET MDS Logic

Rote memorization but extremely high yield. Match the nerve to the arch, and match the arch to its muscle/cartilage derivative. 'M' goes with 1st arch (Mandible, Mastication, Meckel's).

Framing: "The muscles of facial expression are derived from which pharyngeal arch?"

Past Question Patterns

NEET MDS 2024: Meckel's cartilage is a derivative of the.
NEET MDS 2021: Nerve of the second pharyngeal arch is the.
NEET MDS 2019: The stylopharyngeus muscle is derived from which arch?
INI-CET 2020: The stapes bone develops from the cartilage of the.

4. Cavernous Sinus

Core Focus

Structures passing THROUGH the center: Internal Carotid Artery, Abducens nerve (CN VI)
Structures in the LATERAL WALL: CN III, CN IV, V1 (Ophthalmic), V2 (Maxillary)
The facial vein communicates with the cavernous sinus through emissary veins.

NEET MDS Logic

Because CN VI is 'free-floating' inside the sinus alongside the ICA, it is the first nerve to be affected by an aneurysm or thrombosis in the cavernous sinus, leading to lateral rectus palsy.

Framing: "In a patient with cavernous sinus thrombosis, which cranial nerve is typically the first to be affected, causing medial strabismus?"

Past Question Patterns

NEET MDS 2023: Nerve passing strictly through the center of the cavernous sinus.
NEET MDS 2022: The cavernous sinus communicates with the facial vein via the.
NEET MDS 2020: Which division of the trigeminal nerve DOES NOT pass through the cavernous sinus?
AIIMS 2019: Artery traversing the cavernous sinus.

5. External Carotid Artery (ECA) & Maxillary Artery

Core Focus

ECA Branches: Superior thyroid, Ascending pharyngeal, Lingual, Facial, Occipital, Posterior auricular, Maxillary, Superficial temporal
Maxillary Artery: Divided into 3 parts by the Lateral Pterygoid muscle
Middle Meningeal Artery: Branch of the 1st part, enters skull via Foramen Spinosum

NEET MDS Logic

The Maxillary artery supplies the teeth. You must know its relationship to the lateral pterygoid and know that epidural hematomas are caused by rupture of its branch, the Middle Meningeal artery.

Framing: "Which branch of the maxillary artery enters the cranial cavity through the foramen spinosum and is implicated in epidural hematomas?"

Past Question Patterns

NEET MDS 2024: Middle meningeal artery is a branch of the.
NEET MDS 2021: Muscle dividing the maxillary artery into three parts.
NEET MDS 2019: Which is NOT a branch of the External Carotid Artery?
INI-CET 2021: The facial artery is a branch of the.

6. Muscles of Mastication & TMJ

Core Focus

Lateral Pterygoid: Depresses mandible (opens mouth), inserts into TMJ disc
Medial Pterygoid, Masseter, Temporalis: Elevate mandible (close mouth)
TMJ Ligaments: Sphenomandibular (attached to lingula), Stylomandibular

NBEMS Perspective

The lateral pterygoid is the odd one out; it is the ONLY muscle of mastication that OPENS the mouth. Know its two heads and insertion points perfectly.

Framing: "Which of the following muscles of mastication is primarily responsible for depressing the mandible (opening the mouth)?"

Past Question Patterns

NEET MDS 2025: Muscle that attaches to the articular disc of the TMJ.
NEET MDS 2022: Primary muscle responsible for opening the mouth.
NEET MDS 2020: Ligament attached to the lingula of the mandible.
AIIMS 2018: Nerve supply to all muscles of mastication.

7. Parasympathetic Ganglia (Head & Neck)

Core Focus

Otic Ganglion: Parotid gland (Preganglionic from CN IX, Postganglionic via Auriculotemporal)
Submandibular Ganglion: Submandibular/Sublingual glands (CN VII via Chorda tympani, hitches on Lingual n.)
Pterygopalatine Ganglion: Lacrimal gland (CN VII via Greater Petrosal)

NEET MDS Logic

This is a complex wiring diagram that examiners love. You must know the secretor-motor nerve (preganglionic), the ganglion itself, and the sensory nerve the postganglionic fibers 'hitchhike' on.

Framing: "Postganglionic parasympathetic secretomotor fibers to the parotid gland travel along which of the following nerves?"

Past Question Patterns

NEET MDS 2024: Secretomotor supply to the parotid gland is mediated by the.
NEET MDS 2021: Postganglionic fibers from the otic ganglion travel with the.
NEET MDS 2019: Chorda tympani nerve synapses in which ganglion?
INI-CET 2020: Ganglion responsible for lacrimation.

8. Larynx & Pharynx Innervation

Core Focus

Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve: Supplies all intrinsic muscles of larynx EXCEPT cricothyroid
External Laryngeal Nerve: Supplies the Cricothyroid muscle (Tensor of vocal cords)
Pharyngeal Plexus: Motor supply to pharynx/soft palate by CN X (Except Stylopharyngeus & Tensor Veli Palatini)

NEET MDS Logic

The exceptions are the rules here. Cricothyroid is the only muscle supplied by the external laryngeal nerve. Tensor Veli Palatini is the only palate muscle supplied by V3, not the vagus.

Framing: "During a thyroidectomy, the external laryngeal nerve is accidentally ligated. Which muscle of the larynx will be paralyzed?"

Past Question Patterns

NEET MDS 2023: Muscle acting as the tensor of the vocal cords.
NEET MDS 2022: Nerve supplying the cricothyroid muscle.
NEET MDS 2020: All muscles of the soft palate are supplied by the pharyngeal plexus EXCEPT.
AIIMS 2019: The only abductor of the vocal cords is the.

9. Tongue Anatomy & Nerve Supply

Core Focus

Motor: Hypoglossal nerve (CN XII) EXCEPT Palatoglossus (Pharyngeal plexus / CN X)
Sensory (Ant 2/3): Lingual nerve (V3); Taste (Ant 2/3): Chorda tympani (CN VII)
Sensory & Taste (Post 1/3): Glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX)

NEET MDS Logic

A single organ with complex developmental innervation. You must compartmentalize Anterior 2/3 vs Posterior 1/3, and General sensory vs Special sensory (taste).

Framing: "General sensation (touch and temperature) from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue is carried by the?"

Past Question Patterns

NEET MDS 2024: Nerve carrying taste sensation from the posterior one-third of the tongue.
NEET MDS 2021: All intrinsic and extrinsic muscles of the tongue are supplied by CN XII EXCEPT.
NEET MDS 2019: General sensory innervation of the anterior 2/3 of the tongue is via.
INI-CET 2022: Deviation of the tongue to the right upon protrusion indicates a lesion of the.

10. Triangles of the Neck

Core Focus

Carotid Triangle: Common carotid artery, IJV, Vagus nerve
Submandibular (Digastric) Triangle: Submandibular gland, Facial artery/vein, Hypoglossal nerve
Posterior Triangle: Spinal accessory nerve (CN XI), Cervical plexus

NEET MDS Logic

Anatomical boundaries and key contents. The spinal accessory nerve is highly vulnerable to injury in the posterior triangle during lymph node biopsies.

Framing: "Which cranial nerve crosses the posterior triangle of the neck and is most vulnerable to injury during lymph node biopsy in this region?"

Past Question Patterns

NEET MDS 2025: Nerve vulnerable to injury in the posterior triangle of the neck.
NEET MDS 2022: The carotid sheath contains the common carotid artery, internal jugular vein, and the.
NEET MDS 2020: Boundaries of the submandibular triangle.
AIIMS 2018: The Ansa cervicalis is usually embedded in the anterior wall of the.

Topper Logic

Any structure that passes through a 'bottleneck' (like a foramen or sinus) is high yield. Always memorize the exceptions, e.g., all tongue muscles are supplied by CN XII *except* Palatoglossus (CN X).