Logan Steele
The human tongue is a muscular organ that is made up of intrinsic and extrinsic muscles. The four intrinsic muscles are responsible for altering the shape of the tongue and are not attached to any bone. These include the superior longitudinal, inferior longitudinal, transverse, and vertical muscles. The superior longitudinal muscle shortens and curls the tongue upward, while the inferior longitudinal muscle shortens and curls the tongue downward. On the other hand, the four extrinsic muscles change the position of the tongue and are anchored to bone. These include the genioglossus, hyoglossus, styloglossus, and palatoglossus muscles. The genioglossus muscle, also known as the tongue's safety muscle, allows the tongue to protrude or stick out of the mouth. The hyoglossus muscle depresses the tongue, while the styloglossus muscle elevates and retracts it. The palatoglossus muscle is associated with the soft palate and plays a role in swallowing. These muscles work together to enable essential functions such as speaking, eating, and swallowing.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of muscles in the tongue | 8 |
| Groups of muscles | 2 |
| Types of muscles | Intrinsic, Extrinsic |
| Functions of the intrinsic muscles | Change the shape of the tongue |
| Functions of the extrinsic muscles | Change the position of the tongue |
| Tongue movement | Lengthening, Shortening, Curling, Flattening, Rounding |
| Muscles that curl the tongue | Superior longitudinal, Inferior longitudinal, Vertical, Transverse |
| Innervation of intrinsic muscles | Hypoglossal nerve (CN XII) |
| Innervation of extrinsic muscles | Cranial nerve X (Vagus) |
| Arterial supply to the tongue | Lingual artery, Sublingual artery |
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What You'll Learn
The superior longitudinal muscle shortens and curls the tongue upward
The tongue is a muscular organ that is formed by a complex arrangement of intrinsic and extrinsic muscles. The intrinsic muscles are responsible for changing the shape of the tongue, while the extrinsic muscles move the tongue in different directions.
The superior longitudinal muscle is one of the four intrinsic muscles of the tongue. It runs along the upper surface of the tongue under the mucous membrane and functions to shorten and curl the tongue upward. The other intrinsic muscles include the inferior longitudinal muscle, the vertical muscle, and the transverse muscle. These muscles work together to alter the shape and size of the tongue, such as during tongue rolling, and facilitate essential functions like speech, eating, and swallowing.
The superior longitudinal muscle originates near the epiglottis, at the hyoid bone, from the median fibrous septum. It sits just below the mucosa of the dorsal aspect of the tongue, forming a thin layer across the dorsum. The muscle extends forward from the epiglottic region to the tip of the tongue and from the lingual septum medially to the lateral lingual margins.
The ability to curl the tongue upward is an example of the tongue's flexibility and range of motion. This movement is made possible by the superior longitudinal muscle shortening and contracting, causing the tongue to curl upward. This action is part of the tongue's overall function in shaping speech, manipulating food during eating, and aiding in the swallowing process.
The superior longitudinal muscle's role in curling the tongue upward highlights the intricate coordination of the tongue's muscular system. This muscle's specific function contributes to the tongue's overall agility and adaptability, allowing it to perform a diverse range of tasks essential for communication, nutrition, and overall oral health.
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The inferior longitudinal muscle shortens and curls the tongue downward
The human tongue is a muscular organ with a complex arrangement of intrinsic and extrinsic muscles. The intrinsic muscles are responsible for changing the shape of the tongue, while the extrinsic muscles are in charge of moving it in different directions.
The inferior longitudinal muscle is one of the intrinsic muscles of the tongue. It lines the sides of the tongue and is joined to the styloglossus muscle. When the inferior longitudinal muscle contracts, it shortens and curls the tongue downward. This muscle is responsible for tongue rolling and plays a role in facilitating speech, eating, and swallowing.
The intrinsic muscles of the tongue, including the inferior longitudinal muscle, originate and attach to other structures within the tongue itself. They are not attached to bone. Instead, they intertwine to create a flexible matrix, forming what is called a muscular hydrostat. This structure allows the tongue to contort into various shapes and postures, including lengthening, shortening, curling, flattening, and rounding.
The inferior longitudinal muscle is one of four paired intrinsic muscles of the tongue. The other three are the superior longitudinal, transverse, and vertical muscles. These muscles are named based on the direction in which they travel. The superior longitudinal muscle runs along the upper surface of the tongue and functions to shorten and curl the tongue upward. 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 at the middle and is attached to the mucous membranes along the sides.
The functions of the inferior longitudinal muscle, along with the other intrinsic muscles of the tongue, are essential for the tongue's ability to perform its various roles in gustatory stimuli, mastication, speech, and deglutition.
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The vertical muscle flattens the tongue
The tongue is a muscular organ that is formed by a complex arrangement of intrinsic and extrinsic muscles. The intrinsic muscles are responsible for changing the shape of the tongue, while the extrinsic muscles are responsible for moving it in different directions.
The vertical muscle is one of the four intrinsic muscles of the tongue that alter the shape of the tongue mass. It is found only at the borders of the forepart of the tongue, with its fibres extending from the upper to the under surface of the tongue. The vertical muscle joins the superior and inferior longitudinal muscles.
The contraction of the vertical muscle flattens, widens, and elongates the tongue. This muscle is innervated by the hypoglossal nerve (CN XII). The fibres of the vertical muscle are arranged in an almost vertical direction, intersecting the transversely oriented fibres of the transverse muscle.
The other intrinsic muscles of the tongue are the superior longitudinal muscle, the inferior longitudinal muscle, and the transverse muscle. These muscles are involved in tongue rolling and facilitating speech, eating, and swallowing.
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The transverse muscle divides the tongue at the middle
The human tongue is a muscular organ that is formed by a complex arrangement of intrinsic and extrinsic muscles. The intrinsic muscles are responsible for changing the shape of the tongue, while the extrinsic muscles move it in different directions.
The transverse muscle is one of the four intrinsic muscles of the tongue, along with the superior longitudinal, inferior longitudinal, and vertical muscles. These muscles affect the shape and size of the tongue, facilitating essential functions such as speech, eating, and swallowing.
The transverse muscle of the tongue, also known as transversus linguae, consists of fibres that arise from the median fibrous septum. It passes laterally to insert into the submucous fibrous tissue at the sides of the tongue, dividing the tongue at the middle. This muscle is innervated by the hypoglossal nerve (CN XII), and its contraction elongates and narrows the tongue.
The other intrinsic muscles also play a role in shaping the tongue. The superior longitudinal muscle runs along the upper surface of the tongue, under the mucous membrane, and functions to shorten and curl the tongue upward. The inferior longitudinal muscle lines the sides of the tongue and is responsible for shortening and curling the tongue downward. The vertical muscle, located in the middle of the tongue, joins the superior and inferior longitudinal muscles and is responsible for flattening the tongue.
Together, these intrinsic muscles enable the tongue to perform a range of movements, including curling, uncurling, flattening, and rounding, which are essential for various functions such as speech, swallowing, and eating.
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The genioglossus muscle protrudes the tongue
The genioglossus muscle is one of the four extrinsic muscles of the tongue. It is a large, thick muscle that contributes significantly to the shape of the tongue. The genioglossus arises from the mandible and protrudes the tongue. It is also known as the tongue's "safety muscle" since it is the only muscle that propels the tongue forward. The left and right genioglossus muscles work together to protrude the tongue directly forward and depress the centre of the tongue at its back.
The genioglossus muscle originates from the superior mental spine on the posterior surface of the mandible, superior to the attachment of the geniohyoid muscle. It extends in a posterosuperior direction and attaches to the superior surface of the hyoid body and along the length of the ventral tongue from root to apex. The right and left genioglossus muscles are separated by the lingual septum posteriorly but blend with each other anteriorly.
The genioglossus muscle is involved in multiple actions. During unilateral contraction, it moves the tongue laterally to the opposite side. During bilateral contraction, it protrudes the tongue and depresses the central portion of the tongue. Contraction of the genioglossus stabilises and enlarges the portion of the upper airway that is most vulnerable to collapse.
The genioglossus is innervated by the hypoglossal nerve, as are all muscles of the tongue except for the palatoglossus. Blood is supplied to the sublingual branch of the lingual artery, a branch of the external carotid artery. Peripheral damage to the hypoglossal nerve can result in deviation of the tongue to the damaged side. If the tongue protrudes directly forward instead of deviating to either side, then the hypoglossal nerves are likely not injured.
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Frequently asked questions
The superior longitudinal muscle is responsible for curling the tongue upward, while the inferior longitudinal muscle curls the tongue downward.
No, there are four intrinsic muscles that change the shape of the tongue, and four extrinsic muscles that change the position of the tongue.
The other intrinsic muscles are the vertical muscle and the transverse muscle.
