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Anatomy & Physiology > 11: The Larynx > Flashcards

11: The Larynx Flashcards

1
Q

What is the larynx?

A

The larynx is a multi-structured organ within the vocal tract

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2
Q

Where is the larynx positioned?

A

The larynx is positioned with the pharynx above it and the trachea below it

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3
Q

What is the role of the larynx?

A

The larynx contains the valves with open and close. Opening allows for breathing and closing protects the respiratory system when swallowing

The larynx also contains the vocal cords and so plays a major role in phonation

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4
Q

What is the larynx made up of?

A

The larynx consists of:

  1. One bone
  2. Membranes
  3. Cartilages (paired and unpaired)
  4. Muscles (intrinsic and extrinsic)
  5. Connective ligaments (intrinsic and extrinsic)
  6. Nerves
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5
Q

What are the paired cartilages of the larynx?

A

The three paired cartilages of the larynx are:

  1. Arytenoids
  2. Corniculate
  3. Cuneiform
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6
Q

What are the three unpaired cartilages of the larynx?

A

The three unpaired cartilages of the larynx are:

  1. Epiglottis
  2. Thyroid
  3. Cricoid
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7
Q

What are the roles of the laryngeal cartilages?

A

The laryngeal cartilage’s role is to act as a framework

The cartilages play a role in voice quality by moving with respect to one another to stretch or shorten the vocal cords, tensing or relaxing to change voice quality

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8
Q

What are the roles of the laryngeal cartilages?

A

The laryngeal cartilage’s role is to act as a framework

The cartilages play a role in voice quality by moving with respect to one another to stretch or shorten the vocal cords, tensing or relaxing to change voice quality

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9
Q

Which of the laryngeal cartilages are most important for voice?

A

The most important cartilages for voice are the cricoid, thyroid and paired arytenoids

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10
Q

Where is the hyoid bone positioned?

A

The hyoid bone is attached to the base of the tongue via the glossoepiglotic ligament and is suspended by stylohyoid ligaments

It is horse shoe shaped and the open end faces posteriorly towards the oesophagus

The hyoid bone isn’t strictly considered the larynx as it is above the thyroid cartilage and so seen as septum

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11
Q

What is the hyoid bone made up of?

A

The hyoid bone has two greater cornua (horns) posteriorly and two lesser cornua which point up anteriorly

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12
Q

What is the role of the hyoid bone?

A

The hyoid bone doesn’t articulate with any other bone as it is suspended by stylohyoid ligaments

Its role is to provide structure because the muscles of the larynx attach to it

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13
Q

Where is the epiglottis found?

A

The epiglottis is found at the top of the larynx, behind the hyoid bone

It is attached by ligaments: thyroepiglotic and glossoepiglotic

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14
Q

What is the structure of the epiglottis?

A

The epiglottis is a single, elastic cartilage that is leaf shaped and covered in a mucous membrane

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15
Q

What is the role of the epiglottis?

A

The role of the epiglottis is to close off the entrance to the larynx during swallowing and also to protect the airways

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16
Q

What is the structure of the thyroid cartilage?

A

The thyroid cartilage is the largest simple cartilage and is shield shaped

It is made of two large flat planes (lamina) that come together in front, forming a laryngeal prominence. The outside edge of this is the Adam’s apple

The thyroid notch is V shaped and a line of fusion

Posteriorly, there are two pairs of protruding cornua. A pair of superior cornua connects the thyroid to the hyoid via the thyrohyoid ligaments. A pair of small inferior cornua connects with the cricoid cartilage below, forming a cricothyroid joint

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17
Q

What is a cornua?

A

A cornua is a horn

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18
Q

What is the role of the thyroid?

A

The thyroid notch can rock up and down and glide forwards and backwards. It can tip forwards to stretch the vocal folds

The role of the cricothyroid joint is to act as a pivot

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19
Q

What is the thyroid laryngeal prominence?

A

The thyroid laryngeal prominence is also known as the Adam’s apple

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20
Q

Where is the Adam’s apple positioned?

A

The Adam’s apple is below the thyroid notch

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21
Q

Explain the difference in the Adam’s apple between men and women:

A

In biological men, the Adam’s apple is acute, at 90 degrees, making it more prominent than biological females at 120 degrees

The Adam’s apple can be shaved during gender reassignment surgery

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22
Q

Where is the cricoid cartilage positioned?

A

The cricoid cartilage sits horizontally at the top of the trachea and forms the base of the larynx

It is connected to the first tracheal ring by the cricotracheal ligament

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23
Q

Make a flash card here on the order of the sizes of the laryngeal cartilages:

A
  1. Thyroid cartilage
  2. Cricoid cartilage
  4. 5.
    6.
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24
Q

What is the shape of the cricoid cartilage?

A

The cricoid cartilage is a roughly circular ring of cartilage, which looks like a signet ring, because of its higher posterior

It is the second largest laryngeal cartilage

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25
Q

What is the role of the cricoid cartilage?

A

The cricoid cartilage remains relatively stationary and has attachment sites posteriorly for cricoarytenoid muscles

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26
Q

What shape are the arytenoid cartilages?

A

The arytenoid cartilages look like three sided pyramids. They have medial, posterior and anterolateral surfaces

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27
Q

Where are the arytenoid cartilages found?

A

The arytenoid cartilages sit o top of the cricoid cartilage and are also connected to the thyroid cartilage via local ligament

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28
Q

What is the role of the arytenoid cartilages?

A

The cricoarytenoid joint allows movement of the arytenoids. They rotate their front peaks towards or away from one another and glide forward and backward. This creates adduction or abduction of the vocal folds

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29
Q

Describe the paired corniculate cartilages and paired cuneiform cartilages:

A

Neither the cuneiform or corniculate cartilages have an apparent role in voice production, but they provide some stability to the folds

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30
Q

Where are the cuneiform cartilages found?

A

The cuneiform cartilages are embedded in aryepiglottic muscle

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31
Q

Where are the corniculate cartilages found?

A

The corniculate cartilages are horn-like and appear mounted on top of the arytenoids

32
Q

What are the divisions of the muscles of the larynx?

A

The muscles of the larynx are all paired and are either extrinsic or intrinsic

33
Q

What are the roles of the extrinsic laryngeal muscles?

A

The extrinsic laryngeal muscles are essential for swallowing

They are responsible for larger laryngeal movements, eg elevation and depression of the larynx

They also provide support for the larynx so intrinsic muscles can function

34
Q

How do the extrinsic laryngeal muscles elevate or depress structures of the larynx?

A

Suprahyoid muscles elevate. Including: stylohyoid, mylohyoid and geniohyoid

Infrahyoid muscles depress. Including: thyrohyoid, sternohyoid and omohyoid

35
Q

Where are extrinsic laryngeal muscles found?

A

Extrinsic laryngeal muscles attach the larynx to structures outside of the larynx, in most cases to the hyoid bone

They are either located above the hyoid, eg tongue (suprahyoid muscles) or below eg clavicle (infrahyoid muscles)

36
Q

Where are intrinsic laryngeal muscles found?

A

The intrinsic laryngeal muscles are confined within the laryngeal cavity

37
Q

What are the roles of intrinsic laryngeal muscles?

A

Intrinsic laryngeal muscles are controlled by the vagus, cranial nerve X

The intrinsic laryngeal muscles regulate the tension in the vocal ligament and the size and shape of the glottal space

They connect one laryngeal cartilage o another and creates movement of cartilages

38
Q

What are the intrinsic laryngeal muscles?

A

There’s five intrinsic laryngeal muscles, all paired that work as a team:

  1. Thyroarytenoid
  2. Posterior cricoarytenoid
  3. Lateral cricoarytenoid
  4. Cricothyroid
  5. Arytenoid (2 sets)
39
Q

What are the roles of each intrinsic laryngeal muscle?

A

All of these muscles work together as a team, but there is some division in roles:

  1. Thyroarytenoid- adducts
  2. Posterior cricoarytenoid- abducts
  3. Lateral cricoarytenoid- adducts
  4. Cricothyroid- stretches and lengthens
  5. Arytenoid muscles- pull arytenoids together
40
Q

What does it mean to abduct?

A

When the muscles abduct, they open, making the glottis bigger

41
Q

What does it mean to adduct?

A

When the muscles of the larynx adduct, they close, meaning the glottis is smaller

42
Q

How does the larynx abduct?

A

The larynx opens when the arytenoid cartilages rock up and back, the vocal folds open and the glottis widens

43
Q

What is the role of abduction?

A

When the larynx abducts, it allows for voiceless sound

44
Q

How does the larynx adduct?

A

The larynx adducts when the arytenoid cartilages are brought forwards and the oval folds close, allowing for no airflow through the glottis

45
Q

What is the role of adduction?

A

Adduction of the larynx happens during swallowing

46
Q

Where are the intrinsic laryngeal muscles situated?

A

The intrinsic laryngeal muscles are innervated bilaterally by the vagus

47
Q

What are the three branches of the motor component of the vagus nerve?

A

The vagus nerve splits into three branches:

  1. The pharyngeal branch
  2. The recurrent laryngeal branch
  3. The superior laryngeal branch (internal/external)
48
Q

Where is the motor component of the vagus nerve situated?

A

The motor component of the vagus nerve begins in the medulla (brainstem) before splitting into three branches

49
Q

What is the role of the recurrent laryngeal nerve?

A

The recurrent laryngeal nerve is a branch of the vagus nerve which supplies motor control of all intrinsic laryngeal muscles, except the cricothyroid

50
Q

What is the role of the superior laryngeal nerve?

A

The superior laryngeal nerve is a branch of the vagus nerve which supplies the cricothyroid muscle

51
Q

What is the role of the laryngeal branch?

A

The laryngeal branch is a division of the vagus nerve where sensation travels via the superior laryngeal nerve

52
Q

How are cartilages and muscles attached?

A

Cartilages and muscles are attached to eachother by connective tissyes

53
Q

What is the role of tendons?

A

Tendons connect muscles to cartilages and bones. Their main function is to move the structure

54
Q

What is the role of ligaments?

A

Ligaments can be intrinsic or extrinsic and connect cartilages to eachother, or bones to eachother. Their function is to hold structures together and maintain stability. They form the edges of the vocal folds

55
Q

Which structures are involved in respiration?

A

The external intercostal muscles and the diaphragm play major roles in respiration

56
Q

How is phonation formed?

A

Phonation is formed by voicing, vocal cords nd chopping airstream into a series of pulses

57
Q

How is resonation formed?

A

Resonation is shaped acoustically by the vocal tract. Minor alterations change vocal cords

58
Q

Describe the true vocal folds appearance:

A

The true vocal cords are pearly white

59
Q

What is the structure of the true vocal folds?

A

The true vocal folds are highly elastic

They are made up of five layers of laminated tissue and have a muscular layer at the innermost part of the folds

The layers of soft tissues get progressively thinner and softer towards the epithelium

60
Q

How big are the true vocal folds?

A

The true vocal cords are between 13-17mm in females and 17-23mm in males

61
Q

Where are the true vocal folds found?

A

The true vocal folds attach to an arytenoid cartilage, with their outer edges attaching to laryngeal muscles

The inner edges are left free to vibrate

62
Q

What is the vocalis muscle?

A

The vocalis muscle forms the main body of the true vocal folds

63
Q

What happens to vibration of the true vocal folds during vocalisation?

A

The vocal folds need to vibrate at a frequency of 200/sec in women and 120/sec in men. Slower vibration causes a lower pitch. Heavier vocal folds means more mass, slower vibration and a lower pitch

64
Q

What does phonation mean?

A

Phonation means the production of sound

65
Q

What happens to cells of the true vocal folds during vocalisation?

A

During vocalisation, cells from the thin layer of the true vocal folds are destroyed. Vocalisation causes cellular and extracellular damage to vocal fold tissue, which the body repairs with time

66
Q

What role do intrinsic laryngeal muscles play in phonation?

A

The intrinsic laryngeal muscles can change the pitch of phonation by stretching, contracting, tensing and relaxing the vocal folds

The cricothyroid and thyroarytenoid muscles alter oral fold length b changing the relationship of their respective cartilages

67
Q

What role do the lungs play in phonation?

A

Airflow from the lungs maintains steady vocal fold vibration and loudness

68
Q

What are the UK classifications of voice disorder?

A

The UK classifications of voice disorder are:

  1. Organic
  2. Behavioural
69
Q

Who devised the UK classification of voice disorder?

A

The UK classifications of voice disorder were divided by Greene and Mathewson in 2011

70
Q

What does organic mean in the UK voice disorder classification?

A

Organic means the disorder is structural, systemic or medial. This means it’s due to damage to muscles, cartilages or nerves supplying the larynx

71
Q

What does behavioural mean in the UK classification of voice disorder?

A

Behavioural means the disorder is non-organic or functional. This means that it can be with or without damage to the muscles

72
Q

What is the role of the extrinsic muscles in the larynx?

A

The extrinsic muscles connect the larynx to structures outside of it, moving the larynx up and down

73
Q

What is the roles of the intrinsic muscles in the larynx?

A

The intrinsic muscles of the larynx move cartilages within the larynx, therefore they are responsible for vocal fold movement

74
Q

Which branches of nerves are involved in innervating the larynx?

A

The recurrent laryngeal branch and superior laryngeal branch are involved in innervating the larynx

75
Q

What are the vocal folds?

A

The vocal folds are layers of tissue consisting of ligaments, muscles and mucous membrane, with a protective epithelial layer

76
Q

What is voice production?

A

Voice production is a system that requires several body parts working in tandem

Anatomy & Physiology (13 decks)

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