Dominic Stone
The tongue is a muscular organ located in the mouth and is comprised of eight muscles. These muscles are either intrinsic or extrinsic. The four intrinsic muscles are responsible for changing the shape of the tongue and are not attached to any bone. On the other hand, the four extrinsic muscles change the position of the tongue and are anchored to bone. The tongue is involved in various functions, including digestion, taste perception, and speech. It also plays a crucial role in breathing.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Composition | Muscle, fat, and connective tissue |
| Number of muscles | 8 |
| Muscle groups | 2 |
| Paired muscles | 4 |
| Muscle names | Genioglossus, verticalis, transversus, superior longitudinal, inferior longitudinal, vertical, transverse, styloglossus, palatoglossus, hyoglossus, and chondroglossus |
| Muscle functions | Changing the shape and size of the tongue, guiding speech, eating, and swallowing |
| Innervation | Hypoglossal nerve (CN XII) |
| Blood supply | Lingual artery, a branch of the external carotid artery |
| Veins | Lingual veins, draining into the internal jugular vein |
| Secondary blood supply | Tonsillar branch of the facial artery and the ascending pharyngeal artery |
| Average length | 10 cm |
| Average weight (adult males) | 99g |
| Average weight (adult females) | 79g |
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What You'll Learn
The tongue is made up of eight muscles
The tongue is a vital organ, with an average length of 10 cm and an average weight of 99g for adult males and 79g for adult females. It is made up of eight muscles that combine to form a flexible matrix, similar to an elephant's trunk. The tongue is unique in that it is one of the few organs in the body composed entirely of muscle and works independently of the skeleton.
The tongue's eight muscles are classified as either intrinsic or extrinsic. The four intrinsic muscles, which include the superior longitudinal muscle, the inferior longitudinal muscle, the vertical muscle, and the transverse muscle, alter the shape of the tongue and are not attached to any bone. They run along the tongue's length, with the inferior longitudinal muscle lining the sides and the vertical muscle located in the middle. The transverse muscle divides the tongue in two, and the superior longitudinal muscle is joined to the vertical muscle.
The four extrinsic muscles, on the other hand, are anchored to bone and change the position of the tongue. They include the genioglossus, the hyoglossus (sometimes including the chondroglossus), the styloglossus, and the palatoglossus. The genioglossus protrudes the tongue, while the hyoglossus retracts and depresses it. The styloglossus draws the sides of the tongue up, and the palatoglossus elevates the posterior portion of the tongue.
The tongue's muscles work together to perform various functions, including speech, taste, chewing, and swallowing. The intrinsic muscles play a crucial role in shaping the tongue during speech, while the extrinsic muscles move it in different directions. The tongue also helps move food around the mouth during chewing and initiates the swallowing process by propelling food past the anterior tonsillar pillar. Additionally, the tongue is involved in taste perception, with between 2,000 and 10,000 taste buds that help us identify different flavours.
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Tongue muscles are categorised as intrinsic or extrinsic
The tongue is composed entirely of soft tissue, including muscle, fat, and connective tissue. It is made up of eight different muscles that combine to form a flexible matrix, similar to an elephant's trunk. These muscles are categorised as either intrinsic or extrinsic.
The intrinsic muscles are primarily responsible for changing the shape of the tongue, which is essential for speaking. They include the genioglossus, verticalis, transversus, and superior longitudinal muscles. The superior longitudinal muscle, for example, shortens and widens the tongue, curling it upward (dorsiflexion). The intrinsic muscles are innervated by the hypoglossal nerve (CN XII), except for the palatoglossus muscle, which is innervated by the vagus nerve (CN X). The palatoglossus muscle arises from the palatine aponeurosis and inserts across the tongue, elevating its posterior portion.
The extrinsic muscles, on the other hand, are responsible for moving the tongue in different directions. They attach the tongue to surrounding structures like the hyoid bone, mandible, styloid process, soft palate, and pharynx. The genioglossus muscle, for example, is a large, thick extrinsic muscle that contributes to the tongue's shape and enables protrusion and depression movements. The extrinsic muscles are also innervated by the hypoglossal nerve, except for the palatoglossus, as previously mentioned.
The tongue's unique composition and 3D muscle fibre orientation allow for a wide range of motion and deformations during speech and other functions. These muscles play a crucial role in guiding our speech, eating, and swallowing.
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Tongue muscles help with chewing, swallowing, and speech
The tongue is a flexible muscle that is essential for chewing, swallowing, and speech. It is made up of a group of muscles that are well-supplied with blood and have many nerves. Tongue muscles change the shape of the tongue and move it in different directions. They also help with digestion, taste perception, and breathing.
During the chewing process, the tongue and the cheeks work together to constantly place food between the teeth so that it can be chewed. The tongue presses the crushed food against the roof of the mouth and moves it along to the throat when it is ready to be swallowed. The tongue also helps to produce saliva, which lubricates the food and makes it easier to swallow.
Tongue muscles are also crucial for swallowing. Before swallowing, the tongue moves the chewed food to the back of the mouth, triggering the swallowing reflex. The tongue then elevates and sweeps backward to propel the food past the anterior tonsillar pillar and into the pharynx. This movement requires a series of coordinated actions from the tongue muscles, and tongue-strengthening exercises can help improve swallowing ability.
In addition to their role in chewing and swallowing, tongue muscles are essential for speech production. Speech is produced by manipulating the tongue against the teeth and palate to form different sounds. Tongue exercises can help improve muscle control and coordination, leading to better speech articulation and clarity. These exercises can include tongue stretching, tapping, tracing, and resistance training.
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The tongue is not the strongest muscle in the body
The tongue is a muscular hydrostat, an organ composed entirely of soft tissue, including muscle, fat, and connective tissue. It is made up of eight muscles that combine to form a flexible matrix, similar to an elephant's trunk. These muscles are the genioglossus, verticalis, transversus, superior longitudinal, palatoglossus, and three others named based on the direction they travel.
The tongue's unusual composition and 3D muscle fiber orientation allow for a high degree of freedom in its movement. However, it is constrained by the hard structures of the oral cavity. The tongue's muscles work together to change its shape and size, which is essential for guiding speech, eating, and swallowing. While the tongue has impressive stamina and precision in these tasks, it is not the strongest muscle in the body.
The strongest muscle in the body depends on how muscular strength is defined. If we consider brute force, the biggest muscles will generally be the strongest, and the gluteus maximus is the largest muscle in the body. However, the jawbone is a much shorter lever, so the masseter, the main muscle in the jaw, is also a contender for the strongest muscle.
If we consider overall work done, the heart is the hardest-working muscle in the body, pumping at least 2,500 gallons of blood every day to keep our blood circulating. The tongue simply cannot compete with the strength of these muscles, and while it has unique capabilities, it is not the strongest muscle in the body.
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The tongue is a muscular hydrostat
The tongue is indeed a muscle, but it is not just one muscle. It is made up of eight different 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 one of the few organs in the body that is composed entirely of muscle and works independently of the skeleton.
The muscle fibres in a muscular hydrostat are oriented in three directions: parallel to the long axis, perpendicular to the long axis, and wrapped obliquely around the long axis. The muscles parallel to the long axis are arranged in longitudinal bundles, and the more peripherally these are located, the more elaborate bending movements are possible. This is found in tetrapod tongues, octopus arms, nautilus tentacles, and elephant trunks. The muscles perpendicular to the long axis may be arranged in a transverse, circular, or radial pattern. A transverse arrangement involves sheets of muscle fibres running perpendicular to the long axis, usually alternating between horizontal and vertical orientations.
The most important biomechanical feature of a muscular hydrostat is its constant volume. The musculature itself creates movement and provides skeletal support for that movement. It can provide this support because it is composed primarily of an incompressible "liquid" and thus has a constant volume. The bending of a muscular hydrostat is particularly important in animal tongues, providing the mechanism by which a snake flicks the air with its tongue to sense its surroundings, and it is also responsible for the complexities of human speech.
The tongue is composed entirely of soft tissue: muscle, fat, and connective tissue. This unusual composition and the tongue's 3D muscle fibre orientation result in many degrees of freedom. The lack of bones and cartilage means that muscle shortening creates deformations, especially local deformations, as the tongue moves into and out of speech gestures. The tongue is also surrounded by the hard structures of the oral cavity, which both constrain its motion and support the rapid small deformations that create speech sounds.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the tongue is made up of many groups of muscles. However, it is not just one muscle, but eight different muscles that combine to form a flexible matrix.
The four intrinsic muscles are the superior longitudinal muscle, the inferior longitudinal muscle, the vertical muscle, and the transverse muscle. The four extrinsic muscles are the genioglossus, the hyoglossus, the styloglossus, and the palatoglossus.
The intrinsic muscles change the shape of the tongue, while the extrinsic muscles change the position of the tongue, allowing for protrusion, retraction, and side-to-side movement.
The tongue is used for tasting, chewing, swallowing, and speaking. It also helps produce saliva.
No, you cannot swallow your tongue. The whole base of the tongue is firmly anchored to the bottom of the mouth.
