Muscles of the Tongue

Question 1

4 groups of articulator muscles

Answer 1

1. Muscles of Facial Expression
2. Muscles of the Tongue
3. Muscles of the velopharyngeal mechanism
4. muscles of mastication

Question 2

Muscles of the tongue groups

Answer 2

1. Extrinsic

• Genioglossus
• Styloglossus
• Hyoglossus
• Palatoglossus (AKA Glossopalatine)

2. Intrinsic

• Superior longitudinal
• Inferior longitudinal
• Transverse
• Vertical

Question 3

Characteristics of extrinsic tongue muscles

Answer 3

1. They function as a group
2. They anchor the tongue
3. They add to the bulk of the tongue
4. They aid in tongue movement

They have one point of attachment to a structure outside of the tongue and one point of attachment on the tongue

Question 4

Genioglossus

Answer 4

Genioglossus forms the BULK OF THE TONGUE

It is the LARGEST + STRONGEST tongue muscle

Origin: Mental spines [projection of bone on the posterior portion of the mandible, near midline]

Course: Some fibers course inferiorly to the hyoid bone, the remainder fan out across the dorsum (upper surface of the tongue)

Insertion: Some fibers insert into the tongue dorsal + some insert into the hyoid bone

Question 5

Genioglossus Function (3 THINGS)

Answer 5

1. Posterior fibers: pull the entire tongue forward to protrude the tip
2. Anterior fibers: retract the tongue
3. all fibers together: draw the tongue downward

Question 6

Styloglossus

Answer 6

Small muscle + short

Origin: styloid process of the temporal bone

Course: radiates into a fan shaped muscle + courses anteriorly and inferiorly

Inserts: some fibers insert into the lateral aspects of the tongue near the dorsum.

The rest of the fibers blend with the fibers of hyoglossus

FUNCTION: draws the tongue up + back

may also draw the sides of the tongue upward to produce a trough

Question 6

Hyoglossus

Answer 6

Thin + quadrilateral in shape

Origin: on the body + greater horn of the hyoid bone

Course: Vertically + slightly divergent [meaning that some fibers fan out slightly]

Function: Retracts and depresses the tongue

Question 7

Palatoglossus

Answer 7

Palatoglossus also makes up the anterior faucial pillars. This is where the tonsils are located

Origin: Lower surface of the palatal aponeurosis, interwoven with other fibers

Course: inferiorly

Insert: Lateral aspects of the tongue

Function: pulls palate down or the sides of the tongue upward

Question 8

Intrinsic Muscles of tongue (4)

Answer 8

1. superior longitudinal
2. inferior longitudinal
3. transverse
4. vertical

The origin and insertion for all intrinsic muscles is the tongue

Question 9

Superior longitudinal muscle

Answer 9

Superior longitudinal muscle is located just below the mucous membrane of the tongue dorsum

Origin: fibrous tissue close to the root of the tongue, near the epiglottis; median fibers arise from the lingual septum

Insertion: membrane at the edges of the tongue

Course: anteriorly to the lateral aspects of the tongue

Function:

1. Shortens the tongue
2. turns the tip of the tongue upward
3. may contribute to trough formation

Question 10

Inferior Longitudinal

Answer 10

Origin: root of tongue, very close to the hyoid

Course: anteriorly

Insert: blends with other fibers from root of tongue to tongue tip

Function: shortens tongue or pulls the tip downward

Question 11

Transverse

Answer 11

Origin: median lingual septum

Course: laterally y

Insertion: at lateral margin of the tongue

Function: narrows and elongates the tongue

Question 12

Vertical

Answer 12

Origin: the mucous membrane of the tongue dorsum

Course: vertically, laterally, and inferiorly

Insert: inferior surface and lateral aspects of the tongue

Functions: flattens the tongue