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The pharynx is a fibromuscular tube that is situated directly anterior to the vertebral column and posterior to the oral cavity. It is a common pathway for the respiratory and digestive systems, facilitating the passage of air, solids, and liquids from the nose and mouth. The pharyngeal muscles are a group of muscles that form the pharynx, and they play an integral role in many vital processes such as breathing, swallowing, and speaking. These muscles are primarily supplied by branches of the facial artery.
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What You'll Learn
- The pharynx is a fibromuscular tube, with both exterior and interior muscles
- The pharyngeal constrictor muscles have three parts: superior, middle, and inferior
- The pharyngeal muscles are both circular and longitudinal
- The pharyngeal muscles are innervated by the vagus nerve, except stylopharyngeus
- The pharyngeal muscles are vital for breathing, swallowing, and speaking
The pharynx is a fibromuscular tube, with both exterior and interior muscles
The outer circular layer of the pharynx is made up of three constrictor muscles: the superior, middle, and inferior constrictors. These muscles work together to constrict the pharyngeal lumen and propel food downwards into the oesophagus during swallowing. The superior constrictor originates from the pterygoid process, the posterior end of the mandible's mylohyoid line, and the pterygomandibular raphe. It inserts onto the pharyngeal tubercle of the skull base and the pharyngeal raphe. The middle constrictor is located in the laryngopharynx and originates from the stylohyoid ligament and the horns of the hyoid bone. The inferior constrictor has two components: thyropharyngeal fibres that originate from the thyroid cartilage, and cricopharyngeal fibres that originate from the cricoid cartilage. All fibres insert posteriorly onto the pharyngeal raphe.
The inner longitudinal layer of the pharynx consists of three muscles: the palatopharyngeus, salpingopharyngeus, and stylopharyngeus. These muscles act to shorten and widen the pharynx, elevate the larynx, and aid in swallowing. The palatopharyngeus originates from the posterior hard palate and the palatine aponeurosis, inserting onto the thyroid cartilage. The salpingopharyngeus originates from the auditory tube's inferior aspect and inserts onto the palatopharyngeus muscle. Contraction of this muscle raises the pharynx and opens the auditory tube, equalising ear pressure during swallowing. The stylopharyngeus is the only pharyngeal muscle innervated by cranial nerve IX. It originates from the styloid process of the temporal bone and inserts onto the thyroid cartilage, blending with the fibres of the palatopharyngeus muscle.
The pharyngeal muscles play an integral role in vital processes such as breathing, swallowing, preventing aspiration, and speaking. The coordination of these muscles with the laryngeal and tongue muscles is essential for efficient functioning. The pharynx is a highly vascularised structure, receiving its blood supply from four main arteries originating from the external carotid artery.
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The pharyngeal constrictor muscles have three parts: superior, middle, and inferior
The pharynx is a fibromuscular tube that is semicircular in cross-section and is situated directly anterior to the vertebral column. It is part of the digestive system, posterior to the oronasal cavity and larynx. The pharyngeal muscles are organised into an outer circular layer and an inner longitudinal sheet surrounding the lumen. The outer layer consists of three pharyngeal constrictor muscles: superior, middle, and inferior.
The superior constrictor muscle is the uppermost pharyngeal constrictor. It is located in the oropharynx and originates from the pterygoid process, the posterior end of the mandible's mylohyoid line, and the pterygomandibular raphe. The superior constrictor inserts onto the pharyngeal tubercle of the skull base and the pharyngeal raphe, where the constrictor muscles converge. The middle pharyngeal constrictor muscle lies directly below the superior pharyngeal constrictor. It originates from the stylohyoid ligament and the greater and lesser horns of the hyoid bone. As the fibres of the middle pharyngeal constrictor muscle spread posteriorly, a portion of the fibres overlap the superior constrictor muscle, and the remaining fibres are overlapped by the inferior pharyngeal constrictor muscle.
The inferior pharyngeal constrictor muscle is the thickest of the three outer pharyngeal muscles. It arises from the sides of the cricoid cartilage and the thyroid cartilage. It is supplied by the vagus nerve and is active during swallowing, breathing, and speech. The inferior pharyngeal constrictor muscle is composed of two parts: the thyropharyngeal part, which arises from the thyroid cartilage, and the cricopharyngeal part, which arises from the cricoid cartilage. The inferior constrictor compresses the lower pharynx, and the coordinated movements of the constrictor muscles allow them to propel food smoothly from the oral cavity into the oesophagus.
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The pharyngeal muscles are both circular and longitudinal
The pharynx is a fibromuscular tube that is semicircular in cross-section and is situated directly anterior to the vertebral column. It extends from the skull base to the lower border of the cricoid cartilage. The pharyngeal muscles are arranged in layers, with the outer layer being circular and the inner layer being longitudinal.
The outer circular layer consists of three constrictor muscles: the superior, middle, and inferior pharyngeal constrictors. These muscles form a muscular sleeve that surrounds the pharynx and help propel food from the oral cavity into the oesophagus during swallowing. The superior constrictor muscle, for example, originates from the pterygoid process and inserts onto the pharyngeal tubercle of the skull base.
The inner longitudinal layer consists of three muscles: the palatopharyngeus, salpingopharyngeus, and stylopharyngeus. These muscles act to elevate the pharynx and larynx, aiding in swallowing. For example, the stylopharyngeus originates from the styloid process of the temporal bone and inserts onto the thyroid cartilage. It is the only pharyngeal muscle innervated by the glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX).
The pharyngeal muscles receive dual innervation from the glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX) and the vagus nerve (CN X), which facilitate synchronous food propulsion from the oral cavity to the oesophagus. The pharyngeal plexus is the main nervous plexus that supplies the pharynx, with the sensory branches originating from the glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX) and the motor branches from the vagus nerve (CN X).
The pharyngeal muscles play a crucial role in the functioning of the pharynx, which serves as a conduit for both the respiratory and digestive systems. The pharyngeal phase of deglutition refers to the transport of food through the pharynx to the oesophagus, while the respiratory function of the pharynx allows for the passage of air to the larynx.
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The pharyngeal muscles are innervated by the vagus nerve, except stylopharyngeus
The pharynx is a fibromuscular tube that is semicircular in cross-section and situated directly anterior to the vertebral column. It is part of the digestive system, located posterior to the oronasal cavity and larynx. The pharyngeal muscles are organised into an outer circular layer and an inner longitudinal layer surrounding the lumen. The outer layer consists of the superior, middle, and inferior pharyngeal constrictor muscles, while the inner layer comprises the palatopharyngeus, salpingopharyngeus, and stylopharyngeus muscles.
The pharyngeal muscles receive dual innervation from the glossopharyngeal nerve (ninth cranial nerve or CN IX) and the vagus nerve (tenth cranial nerve or CN X), facilitating synchronous food propulsion from the oral cavity to the oesophagus. The vagus nerve is the principal motor nerve for the pharyngeal muscles, contributing through its pharyngeal branches. It innervates all the pharyngeal muscles except the stylopharyngeus muscle, which is supplied by the glossopharyngeal nerve.
The stylopharyngeus muscle is unique in being the only pharyngeal muscle innervated by the glossopharyngeal nerve. It originates from the styloid process of the temporal bone and inserts into the thyroid cartilage, blending with the fibres of the palatopharyngeus muscle. Contraction of the stylopharyngeus muscle elevates the pharynx and larynx, aiding in swallowing. The pharyngeal muscles and their corresponding nerves originate from the third and fourth branchial (or pharyngeal) arches.
The pharyngeal plexus, formed by branches of the glossopharyngeal and vagus nerves, provides sensory and motor innervation to the pharynx. The pharyngeal plexus occurs upon the outer surface of the pharynx, especially superficial to the middle pharyngeal constrictor muscle. It provides motor innervation to most muscles of the pharynx and soft palate, with the exception of the stylopharyngeus muscle, which is innervated directly by a branch of the glossopharyngeal nerve.
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The pharyngeal muscles are vital for breathing, swallowing, and speaking
The pharynx is a fibromuscular tube that forms a common pathway for the respiratory and digestive systems. It is involved in breathing, swallowing, and speaking. The pharyngeal muscles are vital to these processes.
Breathing
The pharynx is a crucial part of the respiratory system, serving as a conduit for air to the larynx. During inspiration, the UES pressure increases, which directs airflow into the larynx instead of the oesophagus. The pharyngeal muscles assist in maintaining the optimum shape of the airway to maintain laminar flow. They also play a role in controlling the size of the pharyngeal airway and regulating its compliance. Pharyngeal muscles, such as the genioglossus and stylopharyngeus, are activated before inspiratory pump muscles, which helps to prevent the airway from collapsing during inspiration.
Swallowing
The pharynx is also part of the digestive system, providing a route for food from the oral cavity to the oesophagus. The pharyngeal muscles are essential for swallowing. The pharyngeal constrictor muscles form the outer circular layer of the pharynx and consist of three muscles: the superior, middle, and inferior constrictors. These muscles contract sequentially from superior to inferior to propel food from the oral cavity into the oesophagus. The longitudinal muscles, including the stylopharyngeus, palatopharyngeus, and salpingopharyngeus, shorten and widen the pharynx and elevate the larynx during swallowing. The salpingopharyngeus also opens the Eustachian tube to equalise pressure in the middle ear.
Speaking
The pharyngeal muscles are also involved in speaking, as they contribute to phonation. The retropharyngeal space allows for movement of the larynx, pharynx, and oesophagus during speaking.
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Frequently asked questions
The pharynx is a fibromuscular tube that is semicircular in cross-section. It is situated directly anterior to the vertebral column and functions as part of both the respiratory and digestive systems.
The pharynx facilitates the passage of air, solids, and liquids from the nose and mouth. The muscles in the pharynx help with peristalsis, swallowing, and speaking.
The two main groups of pharyngeal muscles are longitudinal and circular. The longitudinal muscles are the stylopharyngeus, palatopharyngeus, and salpingopharyngeus. The circular muscles are the superior, middle, and inferior constrictors.
The pharyngeal constrictor muscles contract sequentially to constrict the pharyngeal lumen and propel food downwards into the oesophagus.
Six muscles are predominantly responsible for the voluntary actions of the pharynx. These include the three pharyngeal constrictor muscles and three vertically oriented muscles (stylopharyngeus, salpingopharyngeus, and palatopharyngeus).
