Dominic Stone
The tongue is a muscular organ located in the mouth of most tetrapods, including humans. It is a vital part of the digestive system, manipulating food for chewing and swallowing. The tongue is also essential for speech, with its agility and flexibility allowing it to produce more than 90 words per minute. The tongue is made up of a group of muscles, including extrinsic and intrinsic muscles, that give it a wide range of motion. These muscles intertwine to create a flexible matrix, forming a structure known as a muscular hydrostat. While the tongue is not the strongest muscle in the body, as is commonly believed, it is highly agile and adaptable.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Tongue structure | Consists of eight separate muscles that intertwine to create a flexible matrix |
| Tongue movement | Tongue muscles are activated in different ways to allow for complex movements |
| Tongue function | Enables speech and vocalization, manipulates food for chewing and swallowing, and is the primary organ of taste |
| Tongue blood supply | Lingual artery, a branch of the external carotid artery |
| Tongue nerve supply | Hypoglossal nerve |
| Tongue weight | 99g for adult males and 79g for adult females |
| Tongue length | 10 cm from the oropharynx to the tip |
| Tongue colour | Typically pink, with shades of light and dark varying |
| Tongue health | Discolouration could indicate a health problem |
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What You'll Learn
Tongue structure and composition
The tongue is a muscular organ located in the mouth of most vertebrates. It is involved in licking, tasting, breathing, swallowing, and speaking. The tongue's upper surface (dorsum) is covered by taste buds housed in numerous lingual papillae. It is kept moist by saliva and is richly supplied with nerves and blood vessels. The tongue also serves as a natural means of cleaning the teeth.
The tongue is divided into three parts: the oral or presulcal part, which includes the root attached to the floor of the oral cavity; the pharyngeal or postsulcal part, which includes the base forming the ventral wall of the oropharynx; and the tip, which is the front-most and most movable portion. The left and right sides of the tongue are separated along most of its length by a vertical section of fibrous tissue (the lingual septum) that results in a groove, the median sulcus, on the tongue's surface.
The tongue is composed of several muscles, including the extrinsic and intrinsic muscles, which work together to move and change the shape of the tongue during speech and eating. The extrinsic muscles anchor the tongue to structures in the head and neck, such as the base of the skull, the throat, and the lower jaw. The intrinsic muscles, on the other hand, change the shape of the tongue, allowing it to articulate different sounds and manipulate food for chewing and swallowing.
The tongue also has several specific muscles, including the inferior longitudinal muscle, which lines the sides of the tongue and functions to shorten and curl it downward; the vertical muscle, located in the middle of the tongue, which joins the superior and inferior longitudinal muscles and flattens the tongue; and the transverse muscle, which divides the tongue in the middle and is responsible for lengthening and narrowing it.
The tongue is covered by a moist, pink tissue called the mucosa, which gives it a rough texture due to the presence of papillae. These papillae, or small bumps, house the taste buds that allow the tongue to differentiate between flavours. There are four types of taste buds that can detect five basic tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami (savory). However, it is important to note that all taste buds can detect all five flavours, but certain regions of the tongue may be more sensitive to certain tastes.
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Tongue's role in the digestive system
The tongue is a muscular organ in the mouth of a typical tetrapod. It is made up of eight separate muscles that intertwine to create a flexible matrix, forming what is called a muscular hydrostat. This structure is similar to an octopus's tentacles or an elephant's trunk. The tongue is an important accessory organ in the digestive system.
The tongue plays a crucial role in the digestive process by manipulating food for chewing and swallowing. It moves food around the mouth, helping to crush it against the hard palate during mastication. The tongue's upper surface, or dorsum, is covered in taste buds housed in numerous lingual papillae. These taste buds allow the tongue to act as a sensory organ, responsible for tasting. The tongue is also richly supplied with nerves and blood vessels.
The tongue works in conjunction with the cheeks to constantly place food between the teeth so that it can be chewed. It then presses the crushed food against the roof of the mouth and moves it towards the throat when it is ready to be swallowed. This action also massages small glands underneath the tongue, stimulating the production of saliva, which aids in predigestion and allows the chewed food to move more easily through the food pipe.
The tongue is also involved in the production of speech and vocalization in animals. It is one of the primary articulators in human speech, with its flexibility and shape-changing abilities facilitated by both extrinsic and intrinsic muscles. The tongue's agility is due to its muscle architecture, which allows different muscle fibres to be activated to achieve the same result without fatigue.
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Tongue's role in speech and vocalisation
The tongue is a muscular organ located in the mouth and is made up of a set of muscles that allow humans to speak, swallow, and suck. It is also a sensory organ that enables humans to taste. The tongue is one of the primary articulators in the production of speech, and this is facilitated by both the extrinsic muscles that move the tongue and the intrinsic muscles that change its shape. The tongue's root is anchored to the floor of the mouth, while the rest of it is free to move around the mouth to perform various tasks. The tongue has a complex anatomy, with oblong-shaped muscles and a dense layer of connective tissue with a mucous membrane on the surface.
The tongue plays a crucial role in producing speech and vocalisation. It works in coordination with the lips and teeth to produce different sounds, which can be combined to form words and sentences. The tongue's mobility and range of motion directly impact speech. Specific movements of the tongue create different types of sounds, such as the letter "k", which involves narrowing the tongue in the back of the mouth, and the letter "s", which involves using the tip of the tongue as it moves backward. The tongue also helps with the pronunciation of vowels and the differentiation between dental, labial, and labiodental sounds.
The tongue is also involved in vocalisation in other animals, although it serves a different purpose. For example, in dogs and cats, the tongue is often used to clean the fur and body by licking. The rough texture of their tongues allows them to remove oils and parasites effectively. Additionally, a dog's tongue acts as a heat regulator. As a dog increases its exercise, the blood flow to the tongue increases, causing it to hang out of the mouth. The moisture on the tongue helps to cool the blood flow, regulating the dog's body temperature.
The tongue is composed of several muscles that work together to facilitate movement and function. The inferior longitudinal muscle lines the sides of the tongue and is joined to the styloglossus muscle, allowing the tongue to shorten and curl downward. The vertical muscle is located in the middle of the tongue and connects the superior and inferior longitudinal muscles, responsible for flattening the tongue. The transverse muscle divides the tongue in half and is attached to the mucous membranes running along the sides, enabling the tongue to lengthen and narrow.
The tongue is also associated with certain beliefs and practices, such as "speaking in tongues" or glossolalia. This practice is commonly associated with Pentecostal and charismatic Christianity, where individuals utter words or speech-like sounds believed to be unknown languages. While some consider it a form of divine language, others view it as a learned behaviour. Studies have shown that glossolalic speech resembles human language in certain aspects, including accent, rhythm, and intonation.
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Tongue's blood supply and nerve connections
The tongue is a muscular organ located in the mouth. It is formed by a complex arrangement of intrinsic and extrinsic muscles. The tongue receives its blood supply primarily from the lingual artery, a branch of the external carotid artery. The lingual veins drain into the internal jugular vein. The floor of the mouth also receives its blood supply from the lingual artery.
There is also a secondary blood supply to the root of the tongue from the tonsillar branch of the facial artery and the ascending pharyngeal artery. The lingual artery branches off from the external carotid artery in the neck, at the level of the greater horn of the hyoid bone. It then courses upwards, loops down, and continues forward with the hyoglossus muscle through the oropharyngeal triangle. After this, it courses forward between the genioglossus and hyoglossus muscles to finally reach the tip of the tongue. The deep lingual artery, which is the termination of the lingual artery, passes between the genioglossus muscle and the inferior longitudinal muscle, supplying the apex of the tongue.
The tongue has a very rich neurovascular supply, and its importance in humans is connected to the digestive system and speech. The tongue's strength and mobility are supported by its paired muscles, which are grouped as either intrinsic or extrinsic. The intrinsic muscles are placed completely within the bulk of the tongue and include the superior longitudinal, inferior longitudinal, transverse, and vertical muscles. The extrinsic muscles anchor the tongue to structures in the head and neck. One muscle holds on to the base of the skull, another connects to a bone in the throat, and there is a muscle that grabs on to the lower jaw. The hypoglossal nerve (CN XII) provides motor innervation to all of the intrinsic and extrinsic muscles of the tongue except for the palatoglossus muscle, which is innervated by the vagus nerve (CN X).
The anterior two-thirds of the tongue are supplied by the chorda tympani branch of the facial nerve (CN VII) for taste and the lingual branch of the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve (CN V) for sensation. The posterior one-third of the tongue is supplied by the glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX) for taste and sensation. The anterior oral part of the tongue is the visible part situated at the front and makes up roughly two-thirds of the length of the tongue. The posterior pharyngeal part is the part closest to the throat, roughly one-third of its length.
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Tongue-related health issues
The tongue is a muscular organ in the mouth, and tongue-related health issues can be frustrating and uncomfortable. The tongue is covered with a moist, pink tissue called mucosa. Taste buds are found on the surfaces of the papillae, which are tiny bumps that give the tongue its rough texture. The tongue is vital for chewing and swallowing food, as well as for speech.
Deep grooves on the tongue can be a sign of ageing, but they may also be linked to Down syndrome, psoriasis, or Sjögren's syndrome. These grooves are harmless but can be improved by treating the underlying condition and maintaining good oral hygiene. Tongue problems can also include bumps or sores, which can be caused by various conditions, including enlarged papillae or mouth cancer. A single painful bump could be transient lingual papillitis or "lie bumps", which can occur when the tongue is irritated.
Other tongue-related health issues include partial or complete loss of taste or changes in the ability to taste sour, salty, bitter, or sweet flavours. Tongue movement issues may be due to nerve damage or tongue-tie (ankyloglossia), which can restrict the tongue's range of motion. Burning mouth syndrome can cause a scalding sensation and a bitter or metallic taste, indicating a problem with the nerves in the tongue. In some cases, this may be linked to dry mouth, infections, acid reflux, or diabetes.
It is important to seek medical advice for ongoing tongue problems, as they can indicate more serious conditions, including vitamin deficiencies, AIDS, or oral cancer. Diagnosing tongue issues involves a visual examination and, in some cases, testing for underlying health conditions or biopsies for cancer. Treatment options depend on the cause of the problem and may include medicated rinses, gels, or antifungal medications for oral thrush.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the tongue is a muscular organ located in the mouth of a typical tetrapod. It is made up of eight separate muscles that intertwine to create a flexible matrix.
The human tongue has extrinsic and intrinsic muscles. The extrinsic muscles anchor the tongue to the base of the skull, the throat, the lower jaw, and other structures in the head and neck. The intrinsic muscles, on the other hand, allow the tongue to change shape. Examples of intrinsic muscles include the superior longitudinal muscles, inferior longitudinal muscles, transverse muscles, and vertical muscles.
The muscles in the tongue enable it to move around in the mouth, facilitating essential functions such as chewing, swallowing, and sucking. They also play a vital role in speech and vocalization. The tongue's flexibility allows it to produce a wide range of sounds and words.
Weakness in the tongue muscles is often associated with nerve damage, which can lead to difficulty in moving the tongue. Tongue-tie (ankyloglossia) is another condition that restricts tongue movement due to an overly short frenum, the tissue that connects the tongue to the floor of the mouth.
