Maximus Gage
The human voice is a fascinating instrument, and at its heart are the vocal folds, also known as the vocal cords. These structures are composed of a vocal ligament, a vocalis muscle, and a mucous membrane. The pitch and volume of the sound produced can be altered by changing the position and tension of the folds, which is achieved by the contraction of various muscles. This article will explore the muscles that elongate the vocal folds, allowing for the production of higher-pitched sounds.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Vocal folds | Vocal cords/chords |
| Vocal fold structure | Multilayered, consisting of a muscle covered by a mucosal covering |
| Vocal fold function | Vibrate to produce voice |
| Vocal fold location | Larynx |
| Vocal fold shape | Wedge-shaped |
| Vocal fold movement | Three-dimensional |
| Vocal fold tension | Altered by the contraction of the thyroarytenoid muscle |
| Vocal fold length | Increased by the contraction of the cricothyroid muscle |
| Vocal fold vibration | Faster when longer, thinner, and more taut |
| Muscles involved in vocal fold movement | Cricothyroid, thyroarytenoid, lateral cricoarytenoid, interarytenoid, posterior cricoarytenoid, transverse cricoarytenoid, oblique cricoarytenoid, and more |
| Cartilages involved in vocal fold movement | Thyroid, cricoid, arytenoid, epiglottis, hyoid, corniculate, cuneiform, and more |
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What You'll Learn
- The cricothyroid muscle pulls the thyroid cartilage down and forward, elongating the vocal folds
- The thyroarytenoid muscle pulls the vocal folds together, bunching them up
- The lateral cricoarytenoid muscles close the glottis by pulling the arytenoid cartilages apart
- The posterior cricoarytenoid muscles open the glottis by pulling the arytenoid cartilages together
- The interarytenoid muscles bring the arytenoid cartilages together, providing compression for the vocal folds
The cricothyroid muscle pulls the thyroid cartilage down and forward, elongating the vocal folds
The cricothyroid muscle is the only tensor muscle of the larynx aiding with phonation. It originates from the anterolateral aspect of the cricoid cartilage and attaches to the inferior horn of the thyroid cartilage. The thyroid cartilage fits over the cricoid cartilage and is hinged so that it can slightly rock forward and downward.
The cricothyroid muscle is composed of two bundles: the pars recta and the pars oblique. The pars recta is the vertically oriented bundle, attaching to the anterior portion of the cricoid and the thyroid cartilage. The pars oblique is oriented upward and backward and is known as the pars oblique. The pars oblique contracts and displaces its attachments at the anterior surfaces of the cricoid cartilage and thyroid cartilage posteriorly.
Together, the actions of the two bundles cause increased tension and elongation of the vocal folds. The cricothyroid muscle plays a vital role in tensing and elongating the vocal cords, contributing to higher-pitched sounds. The cricothyroid joint allows the thyroid cartilage to tilt anteriorly and inferiorly with cricothyroid muscle contraction.
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The thyroarytenoid muscle pulls the vocal folds together, bunching them up
The human larynx is a complex structure, with various muscles, cartilages, and ligaments working together to facilitate voice production, respiration, and swallowing. The vocal folds, also known as vocal cords, are crucial components of the larynx, responsible for producing our voices through vibration.
The thyroarytenoid muscle is a thin, broad muscle that forms the body of the vocal folds. It originates from the lower half of the thyroid cartilage and the middle cricothyroid ligament, with its fibres extending backward and laterally to attach to the arytenoid cartilage. This muscle plays a key role in vocal fold movement and phonation.
The primary function of the thyroarytenoid muscle is to shorten the vocal folds by pulling the arytenoid (back) end towards the thyroid (front) end. This action causes the vocal folds to bunch up, resulting in slower vibrations and a lower pitch. The thyroarytenoid muscle also strengthens glottic closure by bringing the vocal folds together and resisting the airflow from the lungs.
Additionally, the thyroarytenoid muscle has two parts with different attachments and directions, contributing to its complex action. The deeper portion is believed to modify the elasticity and tension of the vocal folds, while the lateral portion rotates the arytenoid cartilage inward, narrowing the glottis and bringing the vocal folds closer together.
The interplay between the thyroarytenoid muscle and other muscles, such as the cricothyroid muscle, also influences pitch control and register changes in the voice. While the thyroarytenoid muscle generally lowers the pitch, studies have found that isolated activation of this muscle can lead to a pitch increase, although less pronounced than that caused by the cricothyroid muscle.
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The lateral cricoarytenoid muscles close the glottis by pulling the arytenoid cartilages apart
The vocal folds, also known as vocal cords, are multilayered structures that consist of muscles covered by mucosal membranes. They are responsible for producing the voice and act as a valve for the airway. The glottis is the space between the two vocal folds. When the vocal folds adduct, or come together, the glottis closes; when the vocal folds abduct, the glottis opens.
The lateral cricoarytenoid muscles are intrinsic laryngeal muscles that are involved in the production of sound. They are attached to the cricoid and arytenoid cartilages of the larynx. The arytenoid cartilages sit atop the back of the cricoid cartilage and control the movement of the vocal folds.
The lateral cricoarytenoid muscles are adductors, which means they cause the vocal folds to come together and close the glottis. They do this by pulling the back ends of the arytenoid cartilages apart, which pulls the front ends together. This movement also creates tension in the vocal folds, which is necessary for phonation.
The lateral cricoarytenoid muscles work in conjunction with other muscles to produce sound. For example, the transverse and oblique arytenoid muscles pull the arytenoid cartilages towards each other, closing the posterior part of the rima glottidis and narrowing the laryngeal inlet. When air passes through the closed rima glottidis, it is directed towards the vocal folds, causing them to vibrate and produce voiced sounds.
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The posterior cricoarytenoid muscles open the glottis by pulling the arytenoid cartilages together
The posterior cricoarytenoid muscles are the only muscles involved in the abduction of the vocal cords. They open the glottis by pulling the back ends of the arytenoid cartilages together. This, in turn, pulls the front ends apart, where the vocal folds attach, thus pulling the vocal folds apart.
The arytenoid cartilages are a pair of small, hard, yet flexible pyramid-shaped cartilages that sit atop the back of the cricoid cartilage. The cricoid cartilage is the top ring of the trachea and is shaped like a signet ring, wider in the back than in the front. The thyroid cartilage fits over the cricoid cartilage and is hinged so that it can slightly rock forward and downward. The arytenoid cartilages can rock, glide, and pivot, controlling the movement of the vocal folds.
The vocal folds are multilayered structures, consisting of a muscle covered by a mucosal covering. The glottis is the space between the two vocal folds. When the vocal folds adduct, the glottis closes; when they abduct, the glottis opens. The glottis opens and closes during vibration.
The thyroarytenoid muscles form the body of the vocal folds themselves. They shorten the vocal folds by pulling the arytenoid (back) end of the vocal folds towards the thyroid (front) end. This shortens the vocal folds and bunches them up, causing them to vibrate more slowly, thus lowering the pitch.
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The interarytenoid muscles bring the arytenoid cartilages together, providing compression for the vocal folds
The vocal folds, or vocal cords, are multilayered structures that produce the voice and provide a valve for the airway. The vocal folds are composed of five layers, one of which is the thyroarytenoid muscle. This muscle forms the body of the vocal folds and is responsible for adjusting the tension in the vocal folds to vary tone quality and pitch.
The thyroarytenoid muscle controls the length of the vocal folds. When contracted, the thyroarytenoid muscle shortens the vocal folds by pulling the arytenoid (back) end of the vocal folds toward the thyroid (front) end. This shortens the vocal folds and bunches them up, which causes them to vibrate more slowly, resulting in a lower pitch. The thyroarytenoid muscles also strengthen glottic closure, helping to resist the airstream from the lungs.
The arytenoid cartilages sit atop the back of the cricoid cartilage and hold the back end of the vocal folds. The arytenoid cartilages can rock, glide, and pivot, controlling the movement of the vocal folds. The arytenoids are the primary focus of intrinsic laryngeal muscle movement to produce adduction and abduction of the vocal folds.
The interarytenoid muscles are intrinsic laryngeal muscles that bring the two arytenoid cartilages together to provide medial compression for the vocal folds. In other words, the vocal folds squeeze together tighter to resist the air pressure from the lungs. There are two sets of interarytenoid muscles: the transverse arytenoids and the oblique arytenoids.
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Frequently asked questions
Vocal folds, also known as vocal cords, are flaps of tissue located in the larynx. They vibrate to produce the voice.
The cricothyroid muscle elongates the vocal folds by pulling the thyroid cartilage down and forward, away from the arytenoid cartilages.
The cricothyroid muscle lengthens the vocal folds, resulting in faster vibration and a higher pitch.
The thyroarytenoid, lateral cricoarytenoid, and interarytenoid muscles all work together to bring the vocal folds together and regulate tension during phonation.
