Logan Steele
The pharyngeal muscles are a group of muscles that form the pharynx, which is a muscular tube that connects the nasal cavities to the larynx and oesophagus. The pharyngeal muscles are arranged in two layers: an outer circular layer and an inner longitudinal layer. The pharyngeal muscles are essential for swallowing and speaking, and they contract involuntarily in a sequence known as peristalsis to push food into the oesophagus. However, the act of swallowing has both voluntary and involuntary components, with the preparatory/oral phase being voluntary and the pharyngeal and oesophageal phases being mediated by the involuntary swallowing reflex.
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What You'll Learn
Pharyngeal muscles are involuntary
The pharyngeal muscles are a group of muscles that form the pharynx, which is posterior to the oral cavity, determining the shape of its lumen, and affecting its sound properties as the primary resonating cavity. The pharyngeal muscles are involuntary skeletal muscles that push food into the oesophagus. There are two muscular layers of the pharynx: the outer circular layer and the inner longitudinal layer. The pharyngeal muscles are organised into an outer circular layer and an inner longitudinal sheet surrounding the lumen. The outer circular layer consists of the superior, middle, and inferior pharyngeal constrictor muscles. These muscles contract sequentially from superior to inferior to constrict the pharyngeal lumen and thus propel the bolus of food inferiorly into the oesophagus.
The pharyngeal constrictors make up the outer layer of the wall while the inner layer is comprised of paired muscles. The superior, middle and inferior pharyngeal constrictor muscles form a muscular sleeve that has a strong internal lining on its fascial aspect known as the pharyngobasilar fascia. These muscles contract involuntarily in a sequence known as peristalsis which helps push the food bolus down from the oral cavity and into the oesophagus, which occurs during and immediately after swallowing. The three paired muscles of the inner pharynx act as a group in order to elevate the larynx, shorten the pharynx and act during swallowing and speaking. These muscles are known as the stylopharyngeus, the palatopharyngeus and the salpingopharyngeus.
The pharyngeal muscles are highly muscular and arranged in layers. The pharyngeal constrictor muscles form the outer circular layer of the pharynx and are pivotal in swallowing. This layer consists of three constrictor muscles: superior, middle, and inferior. The pharyngeal tube is divided into the oropharynx, nasopharynx, and laryngopharynx. The act of swallowing has voluntary and involuntary components. The preparatory/oral phase is voluntary, whereas the pharyngeal and oesophageal phases are mediated by an involuntary reflex called the swallowing reflex. The neuromuscular structure and control of the oral, pharyngeal, and oesophageal phases of swallowing are different. The muscles of the oral cavity and tongue are voluntary and striated, while those of the pharynx and cervical oesophagus are specialised and striated.
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They form the pharynx
The pharyngeal muscles are a group of muscles that form the pharynx, which is posterior to the oral cavity. The pharynx is a muscular tube that connects the nasal cavities to the larynx and oesophagus. It is common to both the alimentary and the respiratory tract. The tube begins at the base of the skull and ends inferior to the cricoid cartilage. It is comprised of three parts: the nasopharynx, oropharynx, and laryngopharynx (from superior to inferior).
The pharyngeal muscles are arranged in two muscular layers: the outer circular layer and the inner longitudinal layer. The outer layer is made up of three constrictor muscles—superior, middle, and inferior—which form an incomplete muscular circle around the pharynx. The inner layer is comprised of paired muscles. The superior, middle, and inferior pharyngeal constrictor muscles form a muscular sleeve that has a strong internal lining on its fascial aspect known as the pharyngobasilar fascia.
The pharyngeal muscles are pivotal in swallowing. During this process, the muscles contract to constrict and widen the pharynx, pushing food into the oesophagus. The pharyngeal and esophageal phases of swallowing are mediated by an involuntary reflex called the swallowing reflex. The three paired muscles of the inner pharynx act as a group to elevate the larynx, shorten the pharynx, and act during swallowing and speaking. These muscles are known as the stylopharyngeus, the palatopharyngeus, and the salpingopharyngeus.
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The pharynx is a muscular tube
The inner longitudinal layer of the pharyngeal muscles consists of three paired muscles – the stylopharyngeus, palatopharyngeus, and salpingopharyngeus. These muscles act to shorten and widen the pharynx, as well as elevate the larynx during swallowing and speaking. The stylopharyngeus is unique among the pharyngeal muscles in that it is innervated by the glossopharyngeal nerve, while the other muscles are innervated by the vagus nerve. The pharyngeal muscles are essential for swallowing and play a role in determining the shape of the pharyngeal lumen, affecting its sound properties as the primary resonating cavity.
The act of swallowing involves both voluntary and involuntary components. The oral phase of swallowing is voluntary, while the pharyngeal and oesophageal phases are mediated by an involuntary reflex called the swallowing reflex. This reflex is controlled by a swallowing centre in the brainstem, which sends patterned discharges of inhibition and excitation to motor nuclei of the cranial nerves. The pharyngeal muscles contract involuntarily in a sequence known as peristalsis, which helps push food from the oral cavity into the oesophagus.
Several surgical procedures target the pharyngeal muscles, including uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, pharyngoplasty, and pharyngeal flap surgery. These surgeries are used to treat conditions such as obstructive sleep apnea, dysphagia, and pharyngeal tumors.
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Pharyngeal muscles have two layers
The pharyngeal muscles are a group of muscles that form the pharynx, which is posterior to the oral cavity. They are involuntary skeletal muscles that push food into the oesophagus. The pharyngeal muscles have two layers: the outer circular layer and the inner longitudinal layer.
The outer layer is made up of three pharyngeal constrictor muscles: the superior, middle, and inferior constrictors. The superior constrictor muscle originates from the pterygoid process, the posterior end of the mandible's mylohyoid line, and the pterygomandibular raphe. It narrows the upper pharyngeal segment and closes the nasopharynx during swallowing. The middle constrictor arises from the greater and lesser horns of the hyoid bone and the stylohyoid ligament. It constricts the middle portion of the pharynx. The inferior constrictor is subdivided into the thyropharyngeus superiorly and the cricopharyngeus inferiorly. The thyropharyngeus originates from the thyroid cartilage, while the cricopharyngeus arises from the cricoid cartilage and merges with the oesophageal muscle. Both segments attach to the median pharyngeal raphe and constrict the lower portion of the pharynx.
The inner longitudinal layer is comprised of the palatopharyngeus, salpingopharyngeus, and stylopharyngeus muscles. These muscles primarily act to elevate the pharynx and larynx. The palatopharyngeus begins at the posterior hard palate and the palatine aponeurosis, inserting onto the thyroid cartilage. The salpingopharyngeus originates from the cartilage of the auditory tube and elevates the pharynx, opening the auditory tube during swallowing. The stylopharyngeus is innervated by the glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX) and, along with the other muscles of the inner layer, acts to elevate the larynx, shorten the pharynx, and play a role during swallowing and speaking.
The pharyngeal muscles contract involuntarily in a sequence known as peristalsis, which helps push food from the oral cavity into the oesophagus during and immediately after swallowing.
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They are pivotal in swallowing
The pharyngeal muscles are a group of muscles that form the pharynx, which is posterior to the oral cavity, determining the shape of its lumen, and affecting its sound properties as the primary resonating cavity. The pharyngeal muscles are pivotal in swallowing.
The pharyngeal muscles are arranged in two muscular layers: the outer circular layer and the inner longitudinal layer. The outer layer is made up of three pharyngeal constrictor muscles: the superior, middle, and inferior constrictors. These muscles form a muscular sleeve with a strong internal lining called the pharyngobasilar fascia. The inner layer, on the other hand, is comprised of paired muscles: the stylopharyngeus, palatopharyngeus, and salpingopharyngeus.
During swallowing, the pharyngeal muscles contract involuntarily in a sequence known as peristalsis, which helps push the food bolus down from the oral cavity into the oesophagus. This occurs during and immediately after swallowing. The three paired muscles of the inner pharynx act as a group to elevate the larynx, shorten, and widen the pharynx during swallowing and speaking.
The superior constrictor muscle plays a crucial role in swallowing by narrowing the upper pharyngeal segment and closing the nasopharynx. The middle constrictor arises from the greater and lesser horns of the hyoid bone and the stylohyoid ligament. The inferior constrictor is divided into two parts: the thyropharyngeus and the cricopharyngeus. During normal swallowing, the thyropharyngeus contracts as the cricopharyngeus relaxes, allowing food to be propelled into the oesophagus and preventing intrapharyngeal pressure from rising.
The pharyngeal muscles are essential for the swallowing process, working in a coordinated manner to ensure food is safely propelled from the oral cavity to the oesophagus.
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Frequently asked questions
No, the pharyngeal muscles are involuntary skeletal muscles. They are part of the digestive system and are located posterior to the oral cavity and larynx. They push food into the oesophagus by contracting involuntarily in a sequence known as peristalsis.
The pharynx is divided into the oropharynx, nasopharynx, and laryngopharynx. The oropharynx is involved in the voluntary and involuntary phases of swallowing. The laryngopharynx is the most distal part of the pharynx and contains the middle and inferior pharyngeal constrictors.
Pharyngeal constrictors are the three circular pharyngeal muscles: superior, middle, and inferior. They are arranged like stacked glasses, forming an incomplete muscular circle around the pharynx. They contract sequentially to constrict the pharyngeal lumen and propel food into the oesophagus.
