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The tongue is a muscular organ located in the mouth, and it is comprised of eight muscles. These muscles help the tongue move and change shape, allowing us to chew, swallow, speak, and breathe. The tongue is anchored inside the mouth by webs of strong tissue and is covered by mucosa, a moist, pink lining that covers certain organs and body cavities. The tongue is also covered with different types of papillae (bumps) and taste buds.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of muscles | 8 |
| Muscle type | Intrinsic and extrinsic |
| Muscle names | Genioglossus, Hyoglossus, Styloglossus, Palatoglossus, Superior longitudinal muscle, Inferior longitudinal muscle, Vertical muscle, Transverse muscle |
| Muscle function | Protrusion, retraction, side-to-side movement, depression, elevation, curling, flattening, lengthening, narrowing |
| Innervation | Hypoglossal nerve (CN XII), Vagus nerve (CN X), Superior laryngeal nerve, Chorda tympani, Glossopharyngeal nerve (CNIX), Lingual nerve |
| Blood supply | Lingual artery, External carotid artery, Tonsillar branch of the facial artery, Ascending pharyngeal artery |
| Veins | Lingual vein, Internal jugular vein |
| Lymphatic drainage | Marginal and central lymphatic vessels |
| Average length | 10 cm |
| Average weight (adult male) | 99g |
| Average weight (adult female) | 79g |
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What You'll Learn
The tongue is a muscle
The tongue is a muscular organ located in the mouth. It is comprised of eight muscles, which can be divided into two groups: the intrinsic muscles and the extrinsic muscles. The four intrinsic muscles are responsible for altering the shape of the tongue and are not attached to any bone. The four extrinsic muscles change the position of the tongue and are anchored to bone.
The tongue is a vital organ with many functions. It is essential for chewing and swallowing food, as well as speaking and forming words clearly. The tongue also plays a role in breathing, keeping the airway open, and producing saliva. It is covered in papillae (small bumps) and thousands of taste buds, which allow us to taste sweet, salty, bitter, sour, and umami flavours.
The muscles of the tongue derive from myoblasts that originate in occipital somites and are innervated by the hypoglossal nerve (CN XII). The arterial supply to the tongue is primarily provided by the lingual artery, a branch of the external carotid artery. The lingual veins drain into the internal jugular vein.
The tongue's flexibility and range of motion are due to its muscular composition and lack of supporting bone. This allows it to contort into various shapes and postures, aiding in speaking, eating, and swallowing. The tongue's strength and endurance have been a topic of discussion, with some believing it to be the strongest muscle in the body. However, this has been proven false, as the tongue is not measuring muscle strength but rather muscle systems.
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It is made up of eight muscles
The tongue is indeed a muscle, and it is made up of eight muscles, which can be divided into two groups: the intrinsic and extrinsic muscles. The tongue is a muscular organ located in the mouth and is essential for chewing, swallowing, and speaking. It is also involved in taste perception and breathing.
The four intrinsic muscles are responsible for changing the shape of the tongue. They are not attached to any bone and include the superior longitudinal muscle, the inferior longitudinal muscle, the vertical muscle, and the transverse muscle. The inferior longitudinal muscle lines the sides of the tongue and is joined to the styloglossus muscle. It functions to shorten and curl the tongue downward. The vertical muscle is located in the middle of the tongue and joins the superior and inferior longitudinal muscles, flattening the tongue. The transverse muscle divides the tongue in the middle and is attached to the mucous membranes that run along the sides. It functions to lengthen and narrow the tongue.
The four extrinsic muscles are responsible for changing the position of the tongue and are anchored to bone. They are the genioglossus, the hyoglossus (which often includes the chondroglossus), the styloglossus, and the palatoglossus. The genioglossus arises from the mandible and protrudes the tongue. It is also known as the tongue's "safety muscle" as it is the only muscle that propels the tongue forward. The hyoglossus arises from the hyoid bone and retracts and depresses the tongue. The styloglossus arises from the styloid process of the temporal bone and draws the sides of the tongue up to create a trough for swallowing. The palatoglossus arises from the palatine aponeurosis and depresses the soft palate, moving the palatoglossal fold towards the midline and elevating the back of the tongue during swallowing.
The tongue is all muscle and no bone, which gives it a huge range of motion and shape. It is very supple and agile, able to contort into endless arrays of shapes and postures. This flexibility may be why some believe it to be the strongest muscle in the body, although this is not true. The tongue's muscles intertwine to create a flexible matrix, forming what is called a muscular hydrostat, similar to an octopus's tentacles or an elephant's trunk.
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These muscles are intrinsic or extrinsic
The tongue is indeed a muscle, but it is not just one muscle. It is made up of eight different muscles that combine to form a flexible matrix, similar to an elephant's trunk. The tongue is known as a muscular hydrostat, as it is one of the few organs in the body that is composed entirely of muscle and works independently of the skeleton.
These eight muscles are classified as either intrinsic or extrinsic. The four intrinsic muscles are not attached to any bone and act to change the tongue's shape. They include the superior longitudinal muscle, the inferior longitudinal muscle, the vertical muscle, and the transverse muscle. These muscles allow the tongue to lengthen, shorten, curl, flatten, and round, and they provide shape to assist in speaking, eating, and swallowing.
The four extrinsic muscles, on the other hand, are anchored to bone and act to change the tongue's position, allowing for protrusion, retraction, and side-to-side movement. They are the genioglossus, the hyoglossus (sometimes including the chondroglossus), the styloglossus, and the palatoglossus. The extrinsic muscles attach the tongue to structures in the head and neck, such as the hyoid bone, mandible, styloid process, soft palate, and pharynx.
The hypoglossal nerve (CN XII) provides motor innervation to all of the intrinsic and extrinsic muscles of the tongue, except for the palatoglossus muscle, which is innervated by the vagus nerve (CN X).
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They allow the tongue to move and change shape
The tongue is a muscular organ located in the mouth, and it is comprised of eight muscles. These muscles are classified as either intrinsic or extrinsic. The four intrinsic muscles are responsible for altering the shape of the tongue and are not attached to any bone. They include the superior longitudinal muscle, the inferior longitudinal muscle, the vertical muscle, and the transverse muscle. The transverse muscle, for example, functions to lengthen and narrow the tongue.
On the other hand, the four extrinsic muscles are responsible for changing the position of the tongue and are anchored to bone. They include the genioglossus, the hyoglossus, the styloglossus, and the palatoglossus. The genioglossus, for instance, is a large, thick muscle that protrudes the tongue forward. The styloglossus, meanwhile, is a thin, paired muscle that elevates the tongue.
Together, these intrinsic and extrinsic muscles allow the tongue to move and change shape, enabling a wide range of functions, including speaking, chewing, swallowing, and breathing. The tongue's flexibility and range of motion are due to its unique structure, with its muscles intertwining to form a muscular hydrostat, similar to an octopus's tentacles or an elephant's trunk.
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The tongue is not the strongest muscle in the body
The tongue is a muscular organ located in the mouth. It is made up of eight muscles, four intrinsic and four extrinsic. The intrinsic muscles are responsible for altering the shape of the tongue and are not attached to any bone. On the other hand, the extrinsic muscles change the position of the tongue and are anchored to bone. The four extrinsic muscles are the genioglossus, the hyoglossus, the styloglossus, and the palatoglossus. They allow the tongue to move in different directions, including protrusion, retraction, and side-to-side movement.
While the tongue is indeed muscular and boasts a huge range of motion and flexibility, it is not the strongest muscle in the body. The idea that the tongue is the strongest muscle may have persisted due to its tireless agility and the fact that it can perform various gymnastics. However, when measuring muscular strength, factors such as brute force come into play, and the tongue does not win under any criteria.
The tongue's strength and power lie in its ability to contort into endless arrays of shapes and postures. Its suppleness is due to the absence of bone, allowing it to lengthen, shorten, curl, flatten, and round. These movements are essential for speaking, eating, and swallowing. The tongue also plays a crucial role in taste perception and breathing.
The tongue's muscles intertwine to create a flexible matrix, forming what is known as a muscular hydrostat. This structure is similar to an octopus's tentacles or an elephant's trunk. The tongue's unique composition and range of motion enable it to perform various functions that are vital for human survival and communication.
In conclusion, while the tongue is an impressive muscular organ with remarkable agility and versatility, it is not the strongest muscle in the body. Its strength lies in its adaptability and the ability to facilitate essential functions such as chewing, swallowing, and speech.
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Frequently asked questions
The tongue is a muscular organ located in the mouth. It is comprised of eight muscles, four intrinsic and four extrinsic. The intrinsic muscles change the shape of the tongue and are not attached to the bone. The extrinsic muscles are attached to the bone and change the position of the tongue.
The tongue is involved in digestion, taste perception, and speech. It also plays a role in breathing. The tongue moves food around the mouth, mixes it with saliva, and helps to separate unwanted particles. It also enables the formation of the food bolus in the oral preparatory phase of swallowing.
The tongue is flexible and agile, but it is not the strongest muscle in the body. Its strength and endurance can be measured using an Iowa oral performance instrument.
