Stylopharyngeus muscle

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Stylopharyngeus muscle
Muscles of the pharynx and cheek. (Stylopharyngeus visible at center left.)
Latin	musculus stylopharyngeus
Gray's	subject #244 1143
Origin:	Styloid process (temporal)
Insertion:	thyroid cartilage (pharynx)
Artery:
Nerve:	glossopharyngeal nerve
Action:
MeSH	Pharyngeal+Muscles
Dorlands/Elsevier	m_22/12550987

The stylopharyngeus is a muscle in the head that stretches between the styloid process and the pharynx.

Contents 1 Structure 2 Innervation 3 Actions 4 See also 5 Additional images 6 External links

[edit] Structure

The stylopharyngeus is a long, slender muscle, cylindrical above, flattened below. It arises from the medial side of the base of the styloid process, passes downward along the side of the pharynx between the superior pharyngeal constrictor and the middle pharyngeal constrictor, and spreads out beneath the mucous membrane.

Some of its fibers are lost in the constrictor muscles, while others, joining with the palatopharyngeus muscle, are inserted into the posterior border of the thyroid cartilage.

The glossopharyngeal nerve runs on the lateral side of this muscle, and crosses over it to reach the tongue.

[edit] Innervation

This muscle is the only muscle innervated by the glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX).

[edit] Actions

The stylopharyngeus:

• elevates the larynx
• elevates the pharynx
• dilates the pharynx to permit the passage of a large food bolus, so facilitating swallowing

[edit] See also

• Stylohyoid muscle
• Styloglossus muscle

[edit] Additional images

Left temporal bone. Inferior surface.	The cartilages of the larynx. Posterior view.	Side view of the larynx, showing muscular attachments.	Extrinsic muscles of the tongue. Left side.
Muscles of the pharynx, viewed from behind, together with the associated vessels and nerves.

[edit] External links

• LUC styp
• GPnotebook 516948046

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained herein may be outdated. Please edit the article if this is the case, and feel free to remove this notice when it is no longer relevant.