Certified Neuroscience Registered Nurse (CNRN) Practice Exam

What is the main function of the duodenum?

1. To absorb vitamins and minerals

2. To breakdown solids to liquids and provide pancreatic enzymes and bile salts

3. To store undigested food

4. To facilitate the movement of food into the colon

The correct answer is: To breakdown solids to liquids and provide pancreatic enzymes and bile salts

The primary function of the duodenum, which is the first segment of the small intestine, is to further digest food after it has left the stomach. This process is facilitated by the secretion of digestive enzymes from the pancreas and bile salts from the liver, which help to emulsify fats and break down proteins and carbohydrates. The duodenum is specialized for this task, where it receives the chyme from the stomach, as well as these digestive fluids, to efficiently break down solids into liquids, making nutrients more accessible for absorption in the subsequent sections of the small intestine. The absorption of vitamins and minerals, while important, primarily occurs in different parts of the small intestine, such as the jejunum and ileum. Storing undigested food is not a role of the duodenum; this function is fulfilled by the stomach and later by the colon. Finally, facilitating the movement of food into the colon is related to the roles of the large intestine involved in the final stages of digestion and waste elimination, rather than the specific actions of the duodenum itself. Thus, the correct answer is centered around the duodenum's critical function in digestion through the breakdown of solids to liquids in preparation for nutrient absorption.