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The tongue is a muscular structure located on the floor of the oral cavity. It is the primary taste organ and plays a key role in the initial phases of swallowing. In this article, we shall look at the anatomy of the tongue – its structure, innervation and clinical correlations.
Overview of the intrinsic and extrinsic muscles of the tongue. The tongue is a muscular organ situated in the oral cavity, and an accessory digestive organ. Its main functions include sensation of taste, mastication (chewing), deglutition (swallowing), speech, and clearing the oral cavity.
Muscles. The tongue is chiefly a muscular organ with some amount of fatty and fibrous tissue distributed throughout its substance. All the muscles of the tongue are paired structures, with each copy being found on either side of the median fibrous septum.
Muscles. The tongue is formed by eight paired muscles: four intrinsic and four extrinsic. The intrinsic muscles' most particular feature is that they have no insertions in bone - they arise and insert within the tongue. By contrast, the extrinsic muscles do attach to osseous structures: either the hyoid bone, mandible, or styloid process.
The tongue is a mass of muscle that can be divided into different parts based on its landmarks. This differentiation helps connect its structure to specific functions. The tongue is located on the floor of the mouth and upper throat.
The tongue has four sets of tiny muscles that start and end in the tongue itself. These muscles are the superior longitudinal, inferior longitudinal, transverse, and vertical. They’re named based on how they run or move within the tongue.
The muscles of the tongue consist primarily of two groups of muscles, the extrinsic and intrinsic muscles of the tongue. The extrinsic muscles attach the tongue to external regions and include the: —genioglossus muscle; —hyoglossus muscle; —chondroglossus muscle; —styloglossus muscle; —palatoglossus muscle.
This article will focus on tongue embryology, origin, insertion, and action of the extrinsic muscles, followed by innervation, blood supply and lymphatic drainage of the tongue. Relevant clinical points will be explored and relevant diseases affecting the tongue explained.
There are 8 in total; 4 intrinsic muscles and 4 extrinsic. For more on these muscles, see the tongue muscles section below. Besides the muscles, the other important feature of the tongue is its mucosa. The dorsal tongue mucosa is covered with lingual papillae which function as the sensory receptors for taste.
Various muscles keep the tongue “suspended” in the throat: Muscles and ligaments connect the tongue to the hyoid bone (or lingual bone) in the upper part of the throat and to the voice box. The lingual frenulum connects the tongue to the lower jaw.