
The laryngeal muscles are critical to voice production, breathing, and airway protection during swallowing. They are categorised into intrinsic and extrinsic muscles based on their location and function. The intrinsic laryngeal muscles are confined within the larynx and are responsible for controlling sound production by adjusting the vocal cords' tension, length, and position. The extrinsic muscles of the larynx are attached to the hyoid bone and move the thyroid cartilage.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of laryngeal muscles | Not specified |
| Type | Intrinsic and extrinsic |
| Function | Voice production, breathing, airway protection during swallowing |
| Location of intrinsic muscles | Within the larynx |
| Function of intrinsic muscles | Control sound production by adjusting vocal cords' tension, length, and position |
| Primary intrinsic muscles | Cricothyroid, thyroarytenoid, lateral and posterior cricoarytenoid, and interarytenoid |
| Innervation of intrinsic muscles | Branches of the vagus nerve, particularly the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) |
| Exception to innervation rule | Cricothyroid is innervated by the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve (SLN) |
| Function of extrinsic muscles | Produce movements of the hyoid bone |
| Infrahyoid muscles | Sternohyoid, omohyoid, sternothyroid, thyrohyoid |
| Suprahyoid muscles | Stylohyoid, digastric, mylohyoid, geniohyoid |
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What You'll Learn
- The laryngeal muscles are critical to voice production, breathing, and airway protection during swallowing
- The muscles of the larynx are divided into two groups: extrinsic and intrinsic
- The extrinsic muscles of the larynx are attached to the hyoid bone
- The infrahyoid muscles are part of and attach to the lower larynx
- The intrinsic muscles of the larynx are confined within the larynx and are primarily responsible for controlling sound production

The laryngeal muscles are critical to voice production, breathing, and airway protection during swallowing
The larynx is made up of many muscles, which are divided into two groups: extrinsic and intrinsic. The extrinsic muscles are attached to the hyoid bone and move the thyroid cartilage. The infrahyoid muscles are part of the lower larynx and the inferior aspect of the hyoid bone. They include the sternohyoid, omohyoid, sternothyroid and thyrohyoid muscles, which work to lower the larynx and the hyoid bone. The suprahyoid muscles, meanwhile, are attached to the superior aspect of the hyoid bone and function to fixate and elevate the hyoid bone and the larynx.
The intrinsic muscles, on the other hand, are confined within the larynx and are primarily responsible for controlling sound production by adjusting the vocal cords' tension, length and position. The primary intrinsic muscles include the cricothyroid, thyroarytenoid, lateral and posterior cricoarytenoid, and interarytenoid muscles. These muscles are innervated by branches of the vagus nerve, particularly the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN). The cricothyroid is the exception, as this muscle is innervated by the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve (SLN).
The intrinsic laryngeal muscles serve various functions, many of which can be categorised by their action on the vocal ligament. The adductors are the thyroarytenoid (vocalis), lateral cricoarytenoid, and interarytenoid muscles. The thyroarytenoid originates from the oblique line of the thyroid cartilage and inserts on the anterior surface of the ipsilateral arytenoid cartilage.
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The muscles of the larynx are divided into two groups: extrinsic and intrinsic
The intrinsic muscles are confined within the larynx and are primarily responsible for controlling sound production by adjusting the vocal cords' tension, length, and position. They include the cricothyroid, thyroarytenoid, lateral and posterior cricoarytenoid, and interarytenoid muscles. The intrinsic muscles serve various functions, many of which can be categorised by their action on the vocal ligament. The adductors are the thyroarytenoid (vocalis), lateral cricoarytenoid, and interarytenoid muscles. The thyroarytenoid originates from the oblique line of the thyroid cartilage and inserts on the anterior surface of the ipsilateral arytenoid cartilage.
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The extrinsic muscles of the larynx are attached to the hyoid bone
The larynx is made up of many muscles, which are divided into two groups: extrinsic and intrinsic. The extrinsic muscles of the larynx are attached to the hyoid bone, either via origin or insertion, and move the thyroid cartilage. The infrahyoid muscles are part of and attach to the lower larynx as well as the inferior aspect of the hyoid bone. This muscle group includes the sternohyoid muscle, the omohyoid muscle, the sternothyroid muscle and the thyrohyoid muscle, which work to lower the larynx and the hyoid bone. The suprahyoid muscles are attached to the superior aspect of the hyoid bone and function to fixate the hyoid bone as well as elevate it along with the larynx. The suprahyoid muscles include the stylohyoid, digastric, mylohyoid and geniohyoid muscles.
The intrinsic muscles, on the other hand, are confined within the larynx and are primarily responsible for controlling sound production by adjusting the vocal cords' tension, length and position. The primary intrinsic muscles include the cricothyroid, thyroarytenoid, lateral and posterior cricoarytenoid, and interarytenoid muscles. These muscles are innervated by branches of the vagus nerve, particularly the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN). The cricothyroid is the exception, as this muscle is innervated by the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve (SLN).
The extrinsic muscles of the larynx are important for producing the movements of the hyoid bone. The hyoid bone is a U-shaped bone located in the anterior midline of the neck, between the chin and the thyroid cartilage. It serves as an attachment site for various muscles, including the extrinsic muscles of the larynx. By contracting and relaxing, the extrinsic muscles pull on the hyoid bone, causing it to move up and down, forward and backward. This movement of the hyoid bone is essential for proper breathing, swallowing and speech.
The infrahyoid muscles, which include the sternohyoid, omohyoid, sternothyroid and thyrohyoid, work together to lower the larynx and the hyoid bone. They are responsible for depressing and retracting the hyoid bone during swallowing, which helps to open the upper oesophageal sphincter and facilitate the passage of food and liquid into the oesophagus. The infrahyoid muscles also play a role in breathing, as they help to stabilise the larynx and maintain an open airway during inspiration.
The suprahyoid muscles, on the other hand, elevate the larynx and the hyoid bone. They include the stylohyoid, digastric, mylohyoid and geniohyoid muscles. During swallowing, the suprahyoid muscles contract to elevate the larynx and hyoid bone, which helps to close the upper oesophageal sphincter and prevent food and liquid from entering the airway. The suprahyoid muscles also assist in breathing by elevating the hyoid bone and larynx, which helps to open the airway and facilitate the passage of air into the lungs.
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The infrahyoid muscles are part of and attach to the lower larynx
The larynx is a complex structure located inside the neck. It is composed of many muscles that either make up a certain part of the laryngeal structure or sit adjacent to it. These muscles are essential for producing the movements of the larynx and its cartilages, enabling proper air conduction, speech, epiglottis movement, and airway protection.
The muscles of the larynx can be divided into two main groups: extrinsic and intrinsic muscles. Extrinsic muscles, such as the infrahyoid group, are responsible for producing movements of the hyoid bone. On the other hand, intrinsic muscles are confined within the larynx and play a crucial role in controlling sound production. They adjust the vocal cords' tension, length, and position, enabling us to produce speech sounds.
The intrinsic laryngeal muscles include the cricothyroid, thyroarytenoid, lateral and posterior cricoarytenoid, and interarytenoid muscles. These muscles are innervated by branches of the vagus nerve, particularly the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN). The cricothyroid muscle is an exception, as it is innervated by the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve (SLN).
In summary, the infrahyoid muscles are an essential part of the lower larynx, contributing to its movement and function. They work in conjunction with other muscle groups to enable vital processes such as breathing, swallowing, and speech production.
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The intrinsic muscles of the larynx are confined within the larynx and are primarily responsible for controlling sound production
The larynx is made up of many muscles, which can be divided into two groups: extrinsic and intrinsic. The extrinsic muscles are attached to the hyoid bone and move the thyroid cartilage. The intrinsic muscles, meanwhile, are confined within the larynx and are primarily responsible for controlling sound production by adjusting the vocal cords' tension, length, and position. These muscles include the cricothyroid, thyroarytenoid, lateral and posterior cricoarytenoid, and interarytenoid muscles. They are innervated by branches of the vagus nerve, particularly the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN). The cricothyroid is an exception, as it is innervated by the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve (SLN).
The intrinsic muscles of the larynx are essential for voice production, breathing, and airway protection during swallowing. They serve various functions, many of which can be categorised by their action on the vocal ligament. The adductors, for example, are the thyroarytenoid (vocalis), lateral cricoarytenoid, and interarytenoid muscles. The thyroarytenoid originates from the oblique line of the thyroid cartilage and inserts on the anterior surface of the ipsilateral arytenoid cartilage.
The digastric muscle, which is part of the suprahyoid muscle group, also has a role in laryngeal function. It has two bellies with different innervations. The anterior belly is innervated by the mylohyoid nerve, a branch of the mandibular nerve, while the posterior belly is innervated by the facial nerve (cranial nerve VII).
The infrahyoid muscles, which include the sternohyoid, omohyoid, sternothyroid, and thyrohyoid muscles, are also part of the laryngeal structure. They work to lower the larynx and the hyoid bone.
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Frequently asked questions
There are two groups of laryngeal muscles: extrinsic and intrinsic.
Extrinsic laryngeal muscles are attached to the hyoid bone and move the thyroid cartilage. They are divided into two groups: infrahyoid and suprahyoid muscles.
Intrinsic laryngeal muscles are confined within the larynx and are responsible for controlling sound production by adjusting the vocal cords' tension, length, and position.
Examples of intrinsic laryngeal muscles include the cricothyroid, thyroarytenoid, lateral and posterior cricoarytenoid, and interarytenoid muscles.










































