Stylopharyngeus muscle

Stylopharyngeus muscle
Muscles of the pharynx and cheek. (Stylopharyngeus visible at center left.)
Details
Precursor	3rd Pharyngeal arch
Origin	Styloid process (temporal)
Insertion	thyroid cartilage (larynx)
Nerve	glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX)
Actions	elevate the larynx, elevate the pharynx, swallowing
Identifiers
Latin	musculus stylopharyngeus
MeSH	A02.633.567.800
Dorlands /Elsevier	m_22/12550987
TA	A05.3.01.114
FMA	46664
*Anatomical terms of muscle*

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

Structure

The stylopharyngeus is a long, slender muscle, cylindrical above, flattened below. It arises from the medial side of the base of the temporal 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 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.

Innervation

Stylopharyngeus is the only muscle in the pharynx innervated by the glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX) and is done by its single motor branch, which supplies special visceral efferent (SVE) fibers to it.

Development

Embryological origin is the third pharyngeal arch

Function

The stylopharyngeus:

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

Additional images

Stylopharyngeus muscle.
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.
Stylopharyngeus muscle
Stylopharyngeus muscle
Stylopharyngeus muscle
Stylopharyngeus muscle

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

Muscles of the neck
Cervical	Platysma Sternocleidomastoid Longus capitis Longus colli Scalene anterior middle posterior Rectus capitis anterior muscle Rectus capitis lateralis muscle
Suboccipital	Rectus capitis posterior major minor Obliquus capitis inferior superior
Suprahyoid	Mylohyoid Stylohyoid Digastric Geniohyoid
Infrahyoid	Thyrohyoid Sternohyoid Sternothyroid Omohyoid
Pharynx	Pharyngeal constrictor superior middle inferior Stylopharyngeus Salpingopharyngeus
Larynx	Cricothyroid Cricoarytenoid posterior lateral Arytenoid oblique arytenoid aryepiglottic transverse arytenoid Thyroarytenoid vocal thyroepiglottic
Trachea	Trachealis
Fasciae	Deep cervical fascia Pretracheal fascia Prevertebral fascia Investing layer Carotid sheath Alar fascia Palatine aponeurosis Buccopharyngeal fascia Pharyngobasilar fascia Pharyngeal raphe

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