Muscles of the Soft Palate

Question 1

Name the categories for muscles of the soft palate.

Answer 1

• Palatal elevators
• Palatal depressors
• Palatal tensor

Question 2

Name the palatal elevators.

Answer 2

• Levator veli palatini
• Musculus uvulae

Question 3

Function of the levator veli palatini

Answer 3

• Elevates and retracts velum

Question 4

What is one fact about the musculus uvulae?
What is it’s function?

Answer 4

• Makes up the structure of the uvula
• Shortens the soft palate

Question 5

List the palatal depressors.

Answer 5

• Palatoglossus
• Palatopharyngeus

Question 6

Location details and function of the palatoglossus muscle

Answer 6

• It is also an extrinsic tongue muscle
• Forms the anterior faucial pillar
• Elevates the tongue and depresses the velum

Question 7

Location detail and function of the Palatopharyngeus muscle

Answer 7

• Forms the posterior faucial pillar
• Narrows the pharynx and depresses the velum
  (I know this is a blurry picture, but it was the best representation I could find)

Question 8

What is the only palatal tensor in this lesson?

Answer 8

• Tensor veli palatini

Question 9

What is the function of the tensor veli palatini?

Answer 9

• Stabilizes and flattens the soft palate
• Dilates the eustachian tube

Question 10

Label the muscles of the soft palate

Answer 10

Email said that the levator and tensor muscles are switched too, but won’t be on the test