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The hyoid bone is a horseshoe-shaped bone located at the root of the tongue in the anterior neck between the lower jaw and the thyroid cartilage. It is the only bone in the human body that is not connected to any other bone. Instead, it is connected to other bones by muscles or ligaments. The hyoid bone is suspended by the posterior suprahyoid muscles and the anterior suprahyoid muscles. The infrahyoid muscles, also known as the strap muscles, depress the hyoid bone.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | At the root of the tongue in the anterior neck between the lower jaw and the thyroid cartilage |
| Shape | Horseshoe-shaped |
| Muscles that elevate it | Geniohyoid, Stylohyoid, Mylohyoid, and Infrahyoid |
| Muscles that depress it | Infrahyoid |
| Function | Serves as an attachment structure for the tongue and muscles on the floor of the oral cavity, the larynx, the epiglottis, and the pharynx |
| Composition | Body, a pair of greater horns (greater cornua), and a pair of lesser horns (lesser cornua) |
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What You'll Learn
The stylohyoid muscle
The muscle travels anteroinferiorly and medially, attaching to the body of the hyoid bone at its intersection with the greater horn of the hyoid bone. This muscle facilitates tongue retraction, swallowing (deglutition), and keeps the airway open during inspiration.
Contraction of the stylohyoid muscle results in the elevation and retraction (posterior movement) of the hyoid bone. This action also results in tongue retraction and lengthening the floor of the mouth. The stylohyoid muscle receives arterial blood from branches of the facial, occipital, and posterior auricular arteries. The internal jugular vein is responsible for draining venous blood from the muscle.
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The geniohyoid muscle
The main function of the geniohyoid muscle is to coordinate the movements of the floor of the mouth and the hyoid bone during swallowing and voice production. It brings the hyoid bone forward and upwards, dilating the upper airway and assisting respiration. This movement also widens the pharynx in preparation for receiving food.
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The mylohyoid muscle
One of the primary functions of the mylohyoid muscle is to elevate the hyoid bone and the tongue during swallowing and speaking. This elevation helps in deglutition by pressing the tongue against the hard palate, facilitating the movement of food towards the pharynx. Additionally, the mylohyoid muscle can depress the mandible, particularly when the hyoid attachment is fixed. This depression of the mandible aids in chewing by separating the teeth when they may be held together by food.
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The digastric muscle
The posterior belly, which is longer than the anterior belly, originates at the medial surface of the mastoid notch of the temporal bone, located on the inferior surface of the skull, medial to the mastoid process. The mastoid notch is a deep groove between the mastoid process and the styloid process, also referred to as the digastric groove or fossa. The posterior belly is supplied by the digastric branch of the facial nerve.
The two bellies unite as the intermediate tendon, which passes through the stylohyoid muscle and is held in connection with the hyoid bone by a fibrous loop, sometimes lined by a mucous sheath. The digastric muscle divides the anterior triangle of the neck into three or four smaller triangles: the carotid triangle, the submental triangle, the submandibular triangle (also called the digastric triangle), and, in some sources, the inferior carotid triangle (muscular triangle).
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The infrahyoid muscles
The omohyoid muscle is composed of two bellies, superior and inferior, which are connected by a muscular tendon. The superior belly arises from the hyoid bone, while the inferior belly arises from the scapula. The omohyoid has an additional function due to its attachment to the carotid sheath. By pulling the sheath, it maintains low pressure in the internal jugular vein, increasing blood return from the head to the superior vena cava.
The sternohyoid muscle is located in the superficial plane of the neck, along with the omohyoid muscle. It originates from the sternum and sternoclavicular joint and ascends to insert onto the hyoid bone. It functions to depress the hyoid bone from an elevated position.
The sternothyroid muscle is located underneath the sternohyoid in the deep plane of the neck. It arises from the manubrium of the sternum and attaches to the thyroid cartilage. It depresses the thyroid cartilage. The thyrohyoid muscle is thought to be a continuation of the sternothyroid muscle. It originates at the oblique line of thyroid cartilage and inserts onto the inferior border of the body and greater cornu of the hyoid bone. The thyrohyoid muscle pulls the larynx upwards when high notes are sung, with the hyoid bone stabilized.
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Frequently asked questions
The hyoid bone is a horseshoe-shaped structure located at the root of the tongue in the anterior neck between the lower jaw and the thyroid cartilage.
The infrahyoid muscles, also known as the "strap" muscles of the neck, depress the hyoid bone. These include the omohyoid, sternothyroid, thyrohyoid, and sternohyoid muscles.
The suprahyoid muscles elevate the hyoid bone. These include the stylohyoid, geniohyoid, mylohyoid, thyrohyoid, digastric, and stylopharyngeus muscles.
