Dominic Stone
The tongue is a muscular organ made up of a complex arrangement of muscles. These muscles can be divided into two groups: intrinsic and extrinsic. The intrinsic muscles lie entirely within the tongue, altering its shape for talking and swallowing. The extrinsic muscles attach the tongue to other structures and are responsible for moving it in different directions.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of muscles | 8 |
| Type of muscles | Intrinsic and extrinsic |
| Function of intrinsic muscles | Alter the shape of the tongue for talking and swallowing |
| Function of extrinsic muscles | Protrude, retract, depress, and elevate the tongue |
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What You'll Learn
- The tongue is made up of eight separate muscles
- The tongue is anchored to the head and neck by four extrinsic muscles
- The genioglossus muscle is attached to the superior mental spine of the mandible
- The tongue's muscles intertwine to create a flexible matrix
- The tongue's muscles are divided into an anterior 2/3 and a posterior 1/3
The tongue is made up of eight separate muscles
The tongue's muscles are primarily divided into two groups: extrinsic and intrinsic 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 another is attached to the lower jaw. The intrinsic muscles, meanwhile, make up the tongue's body and give it the ability to contort into various shapes and postures. They allow it to lengthen, shorten, curl, flatten and round, and they provide shape to assist in speaking, eating and swallowing.
The extrinsic muscles include the genioglossus muscle, which is attached to the superior mental spine of the mandible and extends to the superior surface of the hyoid body and along the length of the ventral tongue from the root to the apex. The right and left genioglossus muscles are separated by the lingual septum posteriorly but blend with each other anteriorly. Another extrinsic muscle is the hyoglossus, a thin, quadrilateral sheet of muscle which arises from the greater horn and body of the hyoid body.
The tongue's flexibility and range of motion are due to its unique structure, with no supporting bone. This allows it to deform and change shape without losing volume, much like a water balloon.
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The tongue is anchored to the head and neck by four extrinsic muscles
The tongue is not a single muscle, but a combination of eight muscles that intertwine to create a flexible matrix. This is known as a muscular hydrostat, which is similar to an octopus's tentacles or an elephant's trunk.
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The genioglossus muscle is attached to the superior mental spine of the mandible
The tongue is not a single muscle, but a combination of eight separate muscles. These muscles 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's muscles are divided into two groups: the extrinsic and intrinsic muscles. The extrinsic muscles attach the tongue to external regions, such as the base of the skull, a bone in the throat, and the lower jaw. One of these extrinsic muscles is the genioglossus muscle, which is attached to the superior mental spine of the mandible. From here, it extends in a superoposterior direction and attaches to the superior surface of the hyoid body and along the length of the ventral tongue from the root to the apex. The right and left genioglossus muscles are separated by the lingual septum posteriorly, but blend with each other anteriorly.
The intrinsic muscles, on the other hand, are located within the tongue itself and are responsible for its movement and flexibility. They allow the tongue to lengthen, shorten, curl, flatten, and round, providing shape to assist in speaking, eating, and swallowing.
The tongue's unique muscular structure, without supporting bones, gives it a huge range of motion and shape while preserving its volume. This redundancy in muscle architecture means that different muscle fibres can be activated to achieve the same result, preventing fatigue.
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The tongue's muscles intertwine to create a flexible matrix
The tongue is not one muscle, but a combination of eight separate muscles. These muscles intertwine to create a flexible matrix, known as a muscular hydrostat. This structure is similar to an octopus's tentacles or an elephant's trunk.
The tongue's muscles are divided into two groups: the extrinsic and intrinsic muscles. The extrinsic muscles anchor the tongue to the head and neck. One muscle connects to the base of the skull, another to a bone in the throat, another to the lower jaw, and the fourth wraps around the tongue. The extrinsic muscles include the genioglossus muscle, which is attached to the superior mental spine of the mandible and extends to the superior surface of the hyoid body and the ventral tongue. The right and left genioglossus muscles are separated by the lingual septum posteriorly. The hyoglossus is a thin, quadrilateral sheet of muscle that arises from the greater horn and body of the hyoid body.
The intrinsic muscles make up the tongue's body and give it the ability to contort into various shapes and postures. They allow the tongue to lengthen, shorten, curl, flatten, and round, and they provide shape to assist in speaking, eating, and swallowing. Because the tongue has no supporting bone, it is very supple and has a wide range of motion and shape.
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The tongue's muscles are divided into an anterior 2/3 and a posterior 1/3
The tongue is not a single muscle, but a combination of eight separate muscles. These muscles intertwine to create a flexible matrix, which is called a muscular hydrostat. This structure is similar to an elephant's trunk or an octopus's tentacles.
The tongue's muscles can be further categorised into two groups: extrinsic and intrinsic muscles. The extrinsic muscles anchor the tongue to the head and neck. One muscle holds on to the base of the skull, another connects to a bone in the throat, and a third grabs on to the lower jaw. The genioglossus muscle is attached to the superior mental spine of the mandible and extends in a superoposterior direction, attaching to the superior surface of the hyoid body and along the length of the ventral tongue from the root to the apex. The right and left genioglossus muscles are separated by the lingual septum posteriorly, but blend with each other anteriorly. The hyoglossus is a thin, quadrilateral sheet of muscle which arises from the greater horn and body of the hyoid body.
The intrinsic muscles, meanwhile, make up the tongue's body. They give the tongue the ability to contort into a variety of shapes and postures, allowing it to lengthen, shorten, curl, flatten and round. These muscles also provide shape to assist in speaking, eating and swallowing.
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Frequently asked questions
The tongue has four intrinsic muscles and four extrinsic muscles.
The intrinsic muscles are responsible for altering the shape of the tongue for talking and swallowing.
The extrinsic muscles reposition the tongue by protruding, retracting, depressing and elevating it.
