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The pharynx is a muscular tube that is part of the digestive system. It is located between the oral cavity and the oesophagus. The pharyngeal muscles are organised into an outer circular layer and an inner longitudinal layer. The outer layer is made up of three pharyngeal constrictor muscles: the superior, middle, and inferior. The inner layer is made up of the palatopharyngeus, salpingopharyngeus, and stylopharyngeus muscles. The pharyngeal muscles are innervated by the glossopharyngeal and vagus nerves, which facilitate the synchronous propulsion of food from the oral cavity to the oesophagus. These muscles also play a role in breathing, swallowing, preventing aspiration, and speaking.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Between the oral cavity and the oesophagus |
| Divisions | Oropharynx, nasopharynx, and laryngopharynx |
| Functions | Breathing, swallowing, prevention of aspiration, and speaking |
| Innervation | Pharyngeal plexus, vagus nerve, glossopharyngeal nerve, trigeminal nerve, cranial nerve IX, cranial nerve X |
| Blood Supply | External carotid artery branches, including the ascending pharyngeal, facial, lingual, and maxillary arteries |
| Venous Drainage | Pharyngeal venous plexus, internal jugular vein |
| Lymphatic Drainage | Deep cervical nodes |
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What You'll Learn
- Pharyngeal muscles are involved in breathing, swallowing, speaking and preventing aspiration
- The pharyngeal plexus provides sensory and motor innervation to the pharynx
- The pharyngeal constrictor muscles are the superior, middle and inferior constrictors
- The inner longitudinal layer of the pharyngeal muscles comprises the palatopharyngeus, salpingopharyngeus and stylopharyngeus muscles
- The pharyngeal muscles receive arterial supply from the external carotid artery
Pharyngeal muscles are involved in breathing, swallowing, speaking and preventing aspiration
The pharynx is a muscular tube that is part of the digestive system. It is located between the oral cavity and the oesophagus. The pharyngeal muscles are organised into an outer circular layer and an inner longitudinal layer. The outer layer is made up of three constrictor muscles: the superior, middle, and inferior pharyngeal constrictor muscles. The inner layer comprises the palatopharyngeus, salpingopharyngeus, and stylopharyngeus muscles.
The pharyngeal muscles are involved in several vital functions, including breathing, swallowing, speaking, and preventing aspiration. During breathing, air flows through the nose or mouth and always passes through the pharynx. The pharyngeal muscles help to regulate airflow during expiration. The pharyngeal muscles also play a crucial role in swallowing, which involves the coordination of various structures, including the oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx. During swallowing, the pharynx changes from an airway to a food channel, allowing food to pass from the oral cavity to the oesophagus. The pharyngeal constrictor muscles contract sequentially to close the upper airway, preventing food or liquid from entering the airway and directing it towards the oesophagus. This coordination between swallowing and breathing is essential to prevent pulmonary aspiration.
The pharyngeal muscles are also involved in speaking and vocalisation. The pharynx serves as a route for airflow and its shape can be altered dynamically to facilitate the production of speech sounds. Additionally, the pharyngeal muscles help prevent aspiration by working in coordination with other structures. For example, during the pharyngeal swallow, the velopharyngeal and laryngeal closure mechanisms isolate the pharynx from the nasal cavity and lower airway, preventing food or liquid from entering the airway. This coordination between swallowing and breathing helps to prevent pulmonary aspiration and its associated complications.
The complex functions of the pharyngeal muscles are made possible by their high nerve-muscle fibre ratio, which allows for precise coordination. The pharyngeal plexus, formed by the vagus and glossopharyngeal nerves, provides sensory and motor innervation to the pharynx, ensuring the efficient execution of essential human functions such as breathing, swallowing, and speaking.
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The pharyngeal plexus provides sensory and motor innervation to the pharynx
The pharynx is a muscular tube that is part of the digestive system. It is located posterior to the oral cavity and the larynx. The pharyngeal muscles are categorised by their orientation, either circular or longitudinal. The pharyngeal constrictor muscles form the outer circular layer of the pharynx and are essential for swallowing. The inner longitudinal layer comprises the palatopharyngeus, salpingopharyngeus, and stylopharyngeus muscles.
The pharyngeal plexus is a nerve plexus located on the outer surface of the pharynx. It is the main nervous plexus that supplies the pharynx. The pharyngeal plexus provides sensory and motor innervation to the pharynx. The sensory branches originate from the glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX), which runs into the plexus. The maxillary nerve (CN V/II) supplies the anterior and superior nasopharynx, while the tonsillar nerves carry fibres from both the glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX) and the vagus nerve (CN X). The motor branches come from the pharyngeal plexus and carry fibres from the vagus nerve (CN X). These fibres provide motor innervation to all the muscles of the pharynx and the soft palate, except the stylopharyngeus muscle and the tensor veli palatini muscle.
The pharyngeal muscles have a high nerve-muscle fibre ratio, allowing for precisely coordinated pharyngeal functions. The innervation of the cricopharyngeus muscle is from the pharyngeal plexus and the recurrent laryngeal nerve. The superior constrictor pharyngeal muscle (SCPM) originates at the lateral base of the tongue and other parts of the mouth. It contracts during deglutition to move the soft palate to the posterior pharyngeal wall, thus preventing food or drink from entering the nasal cavity. The inferior constrictor pharyngeal muscle (ICPM) originates from the cricoid and thyroid cartilages and crosses the cricothyroid muscle. It inserts onto the pharyngeal raphe and constricts in coordination with the SCPM and MCPM during deglutition to propel the bolus towards the oesophagus.
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The pharyngeal constrictor muscles are the superior, middle and inferior constrictors
The pharyngeal constrictor muscles are pivotal in the processes of swallowing, breathing, and speaking. They form the outer circular layer of the pharynx, a muscular tube that is part of the digestive system. The pharyngeal constrictor muscles are made up of three muscles: the superior, middle, and inferior constrictors.
The superior constrictor muscle 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, a midline tendinous seam where the constrictor muscles converge. The contraction of this muscle narrows the upper pharyngeal segment and closes the nasopharynx during swallowing.
The middle pharyngeal constrictor is a fan-shaped sheet-like muscle that sits between the superior and inferior pharyngeal constrictors. It proximally attaches to the stylohyoid ligament and the greater and lesser cornu of the hyoid bone. It distally attaches to the median pharyngeal raphe, as does the inferior pharyngeal constrictor muscle. It constricts the middle portion of the pharynx.
The inferior pharyngeal constrictor muscle arises from the oblique line of the thyroid cartilage of the larynx and the lateral aspect of the cricoid cartilage of the larynx. It acts by constricting the lower portion of the pharynx. The inferior constrictor is subdivided into the thyropharyngeus superiorly and the cricopharyngeus inferiorly. The thyropharyngeus originates from the thyroid cartilage, whereas the cricopharyngeus arises from the cricoid cartilage and merges with the esophageal muscle.
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The inner longitudinal layer of the pharyngeal muscles comprises the palatopharyngeus, salpingopharyngeus and stylopharyngeus muscles
The pharynx is a muscular tube that is part of the digestive system. It is located posterior to the oronasal cavity and larynx. The pharyngeal muscles are organised into two layers: an outer circular layer and an inner longitudinal layer. The outer layer is made up of three constrictor muscles: the superior, middle, and inferior pharyngeal constrictor muscles.
The inner longitudinal layer of the pharyngeal muscles comprises the palatopharyngeus, salpingopharyngeus, and stylopharyngeus muscles. These muscles act to elevate the pharynx and larynx. They originate from the posterior hard palate and palatine aponeurosis, inserting onto the thyroid cartilage. During swallowing, they shorten and widen the pharynx, facilitating the propulsion of food from the oral cavity to the oesophagus.
The palatopharyngeus muscle elevates the pharynx superiorly during swallowing. The salpingopharyngeus muscle 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 muscle is the only pharyngeal muscle innervated by the glossopharyngeal nerve (CN 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. Contraction of the stylopharyngeus muscle elevates both the pharynx and larynx, aiding in swallowing.
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The pharyngeal muscles receive arterial supply from the external carotid artery
The pharynx is a muscular tube that is part of the digestive system, located posterior to the oronasal cavity and larynx. It extends from the base of the skull superiorly to the cricoid cartilage inferiorly. The pharyngeal muscles play an integral role in vital processes such as breathing, swallowing, preventing aspiration, and speaking. These muscles work in coordination with the laryngeal and tongue muscles to efficiently perform these functions.
The pharyngeal muscles are organised into two layers, an outer circular layer and an inner longitudinal layer surrounding the lumen. The outer layer consists of three constrictor muscles: the superior, middle, and inferior pharyngeal constrictors. These muscles make up the outer wall of the pharynx and are crucial for swallowing. The inner longitudinal layer comprises the palatopharyngeus, salpingopharyngeus, and stylopharyngeus muscles, which act to elevate the pharynx and larynx.
The pharyngeal muscles receive their blood supply from the external carotid artery and its branches. The external carotid artery supplies blood to the neck and face. It gives rise to eight branches, including the ascending pharyngeal, facial, lingual, occipital, posterior auricular, maxillary, and superficial temporal arteries. These branches provide a dense blood supply to the structures in the neck and face, ensuring adequate oxygenation and nutrition to the pharyngeal muscles.
The external carotid artery is one of the two common carotid arteries, with the other being the internal carotid artery. The right common carotid artery originates from the brachiocephalic artery, while the left common carotid artery arises from the arch of the aorta. These arteries ascend laterally to the trachea and oesophagus in the neck. The common carotid artery then bifurcates into the internal and external carotid arteries, with the internal carotid artery supplying blood to the brain and the external carotid artery supplying the neck and face.
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Frequently asked questions
Pharyngeal muscles are the muscles that make up the structure of the pharynx, a muscular tube that is part of the digestive system. These muscles help to propel food into the oesophagus.
The pharyngeal muscles can be divided into two groups: longitudinal and circular. The longitudinal muscles elevate the pharynx and larynx, aiding in swallowing. The circular muscles, also known as the pharyngeal constrictors, are the superior, middle, and inferior constrictors.
Pharyngeal muscles play an integral role in many vital processes such as breathing, swallowing, speaking, and preventing aspiration. They control the size of the pharyngeal airway and regulate its compliance.
