Logan Steele
The cricothyroid muscle is a small, bilaterally paired muscle found in the anterior neck region. It is one of the intrinsic laryngeal muscles, which are involved in controlling the inlet of the larynx and moving its individual components. The cricothyroid muscle, in particular, facilitates vocalization by controlling the tension and length of the vocal cords, thereby influencing the pitch of phonation. Given its location and function, the cricothyroid muscle is considered intrinsic rather than extrinsic. The extrinsic muscles, also known as the external muscles, act to elevate or depress the larynx during swallowing and provide stability for the larynx during phonation.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Muscle type | Intrinsic |
| Muscle group | Laryngeal |
| Muscle function | Facilitate vocalization |
| Muscle action | Controls tension of vocal cords |
| Muscle innervation | External branch of the superior laryngeal nerve |
| Muscle blood supply | Cricothyroid artery |
| Muscle anatomy | Located in the anterior neck, between the cricoid and thyroid cartilages of the larynx |
| Muscle shape | Triangular |
| Muscle length | Short |
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What You'll Learn
- The cricothyroid muscle is one of the intrinsic laryngeal muscles
- It is innervated by the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve
- It controls the tension and elongation of the vocal cords
- It pulls the cricoid cartilage toward the thyroid cartilage
- It is involved in the creation of forceful speech
The cricothyroid muscle is one of the intrinsic laryngeal muscles
The cricothyroid muscle is a small, bilaterally paired muscle found deep in the anterior compartment of the neck. It is one of the intrinsic laryngeal muscles, accompanied by six other muscles. The cricothyroid muscle is innervated by the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve, which is a part of the vagus nerve system. The superior laryngeal nerve is closely associated with the superior thyroid artery. The vagus nerve provides motor innervation to the cricothyroid muscle by way of the external branch of the laryngeal nerve. The cricothyroid muscle is the only member of the intrinsic muscles of the larynx that is not supplied by the recurrent laryngeal nerve.
The cricothyroid muscle plays a role in controlling the tension of the vocal cords. It produces tension and elongation of the vocal cords, pulling the cricoid cartilage toward the thyroid cartilage. This increases the distance between the anterior (thyroid) and posterior (arytenoid) fixation points of the vocal folds, stretching and lengthening them. This results in higher pitch phonation. The cricothyroid muscle is also involved in the articulation of consonants in human speech.
The cricothyroid muscle is a vital landmark for surgical planning. It is separated from its contralateral counterpart by a triangular space occupied by the cricothyroid ligament. This area is crucial when establishing an emergency airway. The cricothyroid muscle can be injured during a cricothyroidotomy, an emergency surgical procedure used to create a temporary airway when other methods are contraindicated. During this procedure, an incision is made through the cricothyroid ligament, between the base of the thyroid cartilage and the superior margin of the cricoid cartilage.
The cricothyroid muscle is also associated with other structures in the larynx. It is caudal to the inferior border of the thyroid cartilage and medial to the cricothyroid joint. It travels superior to the lateral cricoarytenoid muscles and deep to the inferior constrictor muscle. The infrahyoid muscles are located superficially to the cricothyroid muscle. The cricothyroid artery and the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve approach the muscle from a superolateral angle. The superior poles of the ipsilateral lobe and the pyramidal lobe (if present) of the thyroid gland partially cover the cricothyroid muscles.
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It is innervated by the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve
The cricothyroid muscle is a muscle in the larynx that is innervated by the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve. This nerve is a part of the vagus nerve system, specifically arising from the middle of the inferior ganglion of the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve is also known as Cranial Nerve X. The superior laryngeal nerve descends by the side of the pharynx, deep to the internal carotid artery, before dividing into two branches: the internal laryngeal nerve and the external laryngeal nerve.
The external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve is the smaller of the two branches and functions to supply and innervate the cricothyroid muscle. This nerve activates the cricothyroid muscle, causing it to stretch and tense the vocal cords, which results in higher pitch phonation. The cricothyroid muscle pulls the cricoid cartilage towards the thyroid cartilage, increasing the distance between the anterior and posterior fixation points of the vocal folds. This action stretches the vocal folds, increasing the tension and resulting in higher-pitched sounds.
The external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve is closely associated with the superior thyroid artery and the inferior pharyngeal constrictor muscle. It descends towards the thyroid gland, continuing along the superficial surface of the inferior pharyngeal constrictor muscle and deep to the sternohyoid muscle. It then enters the lateral side of the cricothyroid muscle, supplying motor innervation to the muscle.
The external branch is susceptible to damage during surgical procedures such as a thyroidectomy or cricothyrotomy, as it lies immediately deep to the superior thyroid artery. Injury to this nerve can impair the ability to produce pitched sounds and cause voice fatigue, resulting in a usually monotone voice. Therefore, it is critical to identify and preserve the integrity of this nerve during surgical procedures involving the thyroid or larynx.
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It controls the tension and elongation of the vocal cords
The cricothyroid muscle is a muscle in the larynx, or voice box, located deep in the anterior neck. It is innervated by the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve, which is a part of the vagus nerve system. The cricothyroid muscle plays a crucial role in controlling the tension and elongation of the vocal cords, which are also known as vocal folds.
The vocal cords are flaps of tissue located in the larynx, with one fold on each side of the laryngeal cavity. They are a key component of the vibratory system of the voice mechanism, enabling us to produce sound through phonation. The vibration of the vocal cords in response to air passing through the larynx allows us to speak, sing, and generate other vocal sounds.
The cricothyroid muscle controls the tension and elongation of the vocal cords by increasing the distance between the thyroid prominence and the arytenoid cartilages. This action tilts the thyroid cartilage, tightening the vocal ligaments and resulting in higher-pitched sounds. Conversely, muscles that relax the vocal ligaments, such as the thyroarytenoid muscles, decrease the tension and lower the pitch of the produced sound.
The ability to control the tension and elongation of the vocal cords is essential for producing a range of vocal sounds. The cricothyroid muscle, by increasing the tension and elongation, facilitates the production of higher-pitched sounds. This is achieved through the contraction of two bundles of the cricothyroid muscle: the pars recta and the pars oblique. The pars recta bundle attaches to the anterior portion of the cricoid and thyroid cartilage, causing an anterior rotation around the cricothyroid joint when contracted. The pars oblique bundle, oriented upward and backward, contracts and displaces its attachments at the anterior surfaces of the cricoid and thyroid cartilage posteriorly. These coordinated actions of the cricothyroid muscle result in increased tension and elongation of the vocal cords, enabling the production of higher-pitched sounds.
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It pulls the cricoid cartilage toward the thyroid cartilage
The cricothyroid muscle is a small, bilaterally paired muscle found deep in the anterior compartment of the neck. It is one of the intrinsic laryngeal muscles, and it plays a role in controlling the tension of the vocal cords. The muscle fibres separate and travel in two groups – oblique and straight. The oblique part is inferiorly located and travels posterolaterally to insert onto the inferior horn (cornu) of the thyroid cartilage. The straight part travels posterosuperiorly, taking a sharper incline than the fibres of the oblique part, to insert onto the inferior margin of the lamina of the thyroid cartilage.
The cricothyroid muscle pulls the cricoid cartilage toward the thyroid cartilage. This increases the distance between the anterior (thyroid) and posterior (arytenoid) fixation points of the vocal folds, stretching and lengthening them. This results in higher pitch phonation. The activity of the cricothyroid muscle is directly correlated with the pitch of vocalization. When the muscle is deactivated, there is a loss of high-pitched sounds.
The cricothyroid muscle is innervated by the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve, which is a part of the vagus nerve system. The superior laryngeal nerve is closely associated with the superior thyroid artery. The cricothyroid muscle is also supplied by the cricothyroid artery, which arises from the superior thyroid artery, a branch of the external carotid artery.
The cricothyroid muscle is one of the muscles of the front of the neck and jaw that surround the larynx. These muscles are collectively referred to as the "strap" muscles, and they provide stability for the larynx during phonation. Phonation is the term used for making noise with the larynx or producing vocal sound. The cricothyroid muscle is one of the intrinsic muscles of the larynx, which act on the individual components of the larynx and control the shape of the rima glottidis (the opening between the vocal folds and the arytenoid cartilages).
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It is involved in the creation of forceful speech
The cricothyroid muscle is an intrinsic muscle of the larynx, also known as the 'singer's muscle' due to its function in altering the tone of voice and creating forceful speech. It stretches and tenses the vocal ligaments, which results in higher pitch phonation.
The larynx, or voice box, is an organ located in the anterior neck and is a component of the respiratory tract. The muscles of the larynx can be divided into two groups: the extrinsic, or external, muscles and the intrinsic, or internal, muscles. The external muscles act to elevate or depress the larynx during swallowing, while the internal muscles act to move the individual components of the larynx, playing a vital role in breathing and phonation.
The cricothyroid muscle is innervated by the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve, which is a part of the vagus nerve system. It produces tension and elongation of the vocal cords by drawing up the arch of the cricoid cartilage and tilting back the upper border of the cricoid cartilage lamina. This increases the distance between the vocal processes and the angle of the thyroid, elongating and tensing the vocal folds.
The activity of the cricothyroid muscle is directly correlated with the pitch of vocalization. It works in conjunction with the thyroarytenoid muscle, which acts to relax the vocal ligament, resulting in a softer voice. The lateral cricoarytenoid muscles, on the other hand, are the major adductors of the vocal folds, narrowing the rima glottidis and modulating the tone and volume of speech.
The cricothyroid muscle is important for the creation of forceful speech, as it allows for the stretching and tensing of the vocal ligaments. This results in higher pitch phonation and altered tone of voice, contributing to the overall volume and projection of speech.
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Frequently asked questions
The cricothyroid muscle is a small, bilaterally paired muscle found deep in the anterior compartment of the neck. It is one of the intrinsic laryngeal muscles and plays a role in controlling the tension of the vocal cords.
The cricothyroid muscle pulls the cricoid cartilage toward the thyroid cartilage, stretching the vocal folds and increasing the distance between the anterior and posterior fixation points. This results in higher-pitched sounds during vocalization.
The cricothyroid muscle is active during the articulation of consonants in human speech. It also plays a role in producing higher-pitched sounds, such as during hissing in cats.
An injury to the cricothyroid muscle can occur during a cricothyroidotomy, an emergency surgical procedure to establish an airway. This procedure may be necessary when other methods are contraindicated, and it involves making an incision through the cricothyroid ligament.
The extrinsic muscles of the larynx, also known as the external muscles, act to elevate or depress the larynx during swallowing. They are involved in the movements of the larynx and provide stability during phonation.
