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The tongue is a muscular hydrostat, made up of eight muscles, four intrinsic and four extrinsic. The intrinsic muscles change the shape of the tongue, while the extrinsic muscles are responsible for moving it in different directions. The extrinsic muscles attach the tongue to external regions, such as the hyoid bone, mandible, styloid process, soft palate, and pharynx. They are innervated by the hypoglossal nerve, except for the palatoglossus muscle, which is innervated by the vagus nerve. The extrinsic muscles of the tongue include the genioglossus, hyoglossus, styloglossus, and palatoglossus. These muscles work to alter the tongue's position, allowing for protrusion, retraction, and side-to-side movement.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of muscles | 8 |
| Number of extrinsic muscles | 4 |
| Number of intrinsic muscles | 4 |
| Function of extrinsic muscles | Moving the tongue in different directions |
| Function of intrinsic muscles | Changing the shape of the tongue |
| Tongue attachment | Hyoid bone, mandible, styloid process, soft palate, and pharynx |
| Innervation | Motor fibers, special sensory fibers for taste, and general sensory fibers for sensation |
| Blood supply | Lingual artery, a branch of the external carotid artery |
| Venous drainage | Lingual vein, which empties into the internal jugular vein |
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What You'll Learn
- The tongue is made up of eight muscles, four of which are extrinsic
- The extrinsic muscles attach the tongue to external regions
- The genioglossus muscle is a large, thick extrinsic muscle
- The hyoglossus is a thin, quadrilateral sheet of extrinsic muscle
- The palatoglossus is the only extrinsic muscle not innervated by the hypoglossal nerve
The tongue is made up of eight muscles, four of which are extrinsic
The tongue is a muscular hydrostat, made up of eight muscles, four of which are extrinsic. These muscles work together to form a flexible matrix, similar to 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 four extrinsic muscles are the genioglossus, the hyoglossus (often including the chondroglossus), the styloglossus, and the palatoglossus. These muscles are responsible for altering the position of the tongue, allowing for protrusion, retraction, and side-to-side movement. The genioglossus, for example, arises from the mandible and protrudes the tongue, earning it the nickname the "safety muscle" as it is the only muscle that propels the tongue forward. On the other hand, the hyoglossus arises from the hyoid bone and is responsible for retracting and depressing the tongue.
The four intrinsic muscles, on the other hand, 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. These muscles alter the shape of the tongue by lengthening and shortening it, curling and uncurling its apex and edges, and flattening and rounding its surface. This shape alteration is essential for speech, swallowing, and eating.
The tongue is primarily involved in digestion, taste perception, and speech, but it also plays a crucial role in breathing. The extrinsic muscles attach the tongue to the hyoid bone, mandible, styloid process, soft palate, and pharynx. The tongue is divided into two parts: the anterior two-thirds and the posterior one-third, which differ structurally and developmentally.
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The extrinsic muscles attach the tongue to external regions
The tongue is a muscular organ formed by a complex arrangement of intrinsic and extrinsic muscles. The tongue is composed of eight muscles, four intrinsic and four extrinsic. The extrinsic muscles attach the tongue to external regions, such as the hyoid bone, mandible, styloid process, soft palate, and pharynx. The four extrinsic muscles are the genioglossus, the hyoglossus (often including the chondroglossus), the styloglossus, and the palatoglossus. These muscles originate from bone and extend to the tongue, anchoring to the bone.
The extrinsic muscles are responsible for moving the tongue in different directions, while the intrinsic muscles change the shape of the tongue. The tongue is involved in various functions, including digestion, taste perception, speech, and breathing. The extrinsic muscles play a crucial role in tongue movement, allowing for protrusion, retraction, and side-to-side movement.
The genioglossus muscle arises from the mandible and protrudes the tongue. It is known as the "safety muscle" as it is the only muscle that propels the tongue forward. The hyoglossus muscle, on the other hand, arises from the hyoid bone and is responsible for retracting and depressing the tongue. The styloglossus and palatoglossus muscles also contribute to tongue movement and positioning.
The palatoglossus muscle is associated with the soft palate and is innervated by the vagus nerve, also known as the glossopharyngeal nerve. It arises from the palatine aponeurosis and inserts across the tongue, elevating the posterior portion. The palatoglossus muscle plays a role in swallowing by closing the oropharyngeal isthmus and preventing the spill of saliva from the vestibule into the oropharynx.
The tongue is attached anteroinferiorly by a connective tissue called the frenulum, which can sometimes result in a condition called "tongue-tie" in children, restricting the movement of the tongue. Overall, the extrinsic muscles of the tongue are essential for its movement and positioning, allowing it to perform vital functions such as digestion, speech, and taste perception.
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The genioglossus muscle is a large, thick extrinsic muscle
The tongue is made up of eight muscles, comprising four intrinsic and four extrinsic muscles. The four extrinsic muscles are the genioglossus, the hyoglossus, the styloglossus, and the palatoglossus. These muscles are responsible for altering the tongue's position, allowing for protrusion, retraction, and side-to-side movement.
The function of the genioglossus muscle is to depress and protrude the tongue. Bilateral contraction of this muscle depresses and protrudes the tongue, while unilateral contraction deviates the tongue contralaterally. The genioglossus plays an important role in enlarging and stabilising the upper portion of the respiratory tract, which is susceptible to involuntary collapse. This makes the muscle particularly relevant in the context of sleep apnea patients.
The genioglossus muscle is electrically involved in the generation of maximal sniff nasal inspiratory and nasal expiratory pressures. It also contributes to the ability to express phonemes. The muscle size can impact the function of the temporomandibular joint. Furthermore, the presence of specific fibres in the genioglossus muscle determines its function. For example, type 17 microRNAs help the muscle repair tissue and maintain an efficient mitochondrial membrane potential.
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The hyoglossus is a thin, quadrilateral sheet of extrinsic muscle
The tongue is made up of eight muscles, four of which are extrinsic and four of which are intrinsic. The extrinsic muscles are attached to the tongue and are responsible for moving it in different directions. The intrinsic muscles, on the other hand, are responsible for changing the shape of the tongue.
The hyoglossus is one of the four extrinsic muscles of the tongue. It is a thin, quadrilateral sheet of muscle that arises from the hyoid bone and inserts onto the side of the tongue. The hyoid bone is located in the neck and is used for anchoring the tongue and other muscles. The hyoglossus muscle is innervated by the hypoglossal nerve (cranial nerve XII), which originates from the posterior portion of the medulla oblongata and exits the skull in the posterior fossa through the hypoglossal canal.
The primary function of the hyoglossus muscle is to depress and retract the tongue. This muscle plays a crucial role in tongue movement, allowing for protrusion, retraction, and side-to-side movement. The contraction of the hyoglossus muscle results in the retrusion and depression of the tongue's lateral margin. This muscle also makes the dorsum more convex.
The hyoglossus muscle is also involved in the lymphatic drainage of the tongue, which occurs through the deep cervical group of lymph nodes. Additionally, the hyoglossus receives a dual blood supply, with the main supply originating from the lingual artery, a branch of the external carotid artery. The sublingual artery, a branch of the lingual artery, specifically supplies the hyoglossus muscle.
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The palatoglossus is the only extrinsic muscle not innervated by the hypoglossal nerve
The tongue is composed of eight muscles, four of which are extrinsic. The extrinsic muscles are responsible for moving the tongue in different directions, while the intrinsic muscles change the shape of the tongue. The extrinsic muscles are attached to the hyoid bone, mandible, styloid process, soft palate, and pharynx.
The four extrinsic muscles are the genioglossus, the hyoglossus, the styloglossus, and the palatoglossus. The genioglossus arises from the mandible and protrudes the tongue. The hyoglossus arises from the hyoid bone and retracts and depresses the tongue. The styloglossus connects the tongue to the base of the skull, and the palatoglossus elevates the posterior portion of the tongue.
The palatoglossus muscle is unique among the extrinsic muscles of the tongue in that it is the only one not innervated by the hypoglossal nerve. Instead, it is innervated by the vagus nerve (CN X). The vagus nerve is also known as the tenth cranial nerve, and it supplies motor innervation to the palatoglossus muscle. This muscle is responsible for elevating the back of the tongue during swallowing, preventing the spill of saliva from the vestibule into the oropharynx, and narrowing the diameter of the oropharyngeal isthmus.
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Frequently asked questions
The tongue's four intrinsic muscles change 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 four extrinsic muscles are the genioglossus, the hyoglossus (often including the chondroglossus), the styloglossus, and the palatoglossus.
The extrinsic muscles allow for protrusion, retraction, and side-to-side movement of the tongue.
The tongue is involved in producing speech by manipulating it in the mouth against the teeth and palate. The intrinsic muscles of the tongue are involved in changing its shape, which is essential for speaking.
