Tongue Muscles Anatomy

Tongue muscles are a powerful group of muscles that play a vital role in speech, swallowing, and taste sensation. The muscles of the tongue are divided into two main categories: extrinsic and intrinsic.

Extrinsic Tongue muscles

Extrinsic muscles of the tongue are muscles that originate outside of the tongue and attach to it. These muscles are responsible for moving the tongue in different directions, such as forward, backward, and to the sides. The extrinsic muscles of the tongue include:

• The genioglossus muscle: This muscle originates from the mandible (jaw bone) and attaches to the front of the tongue. It is responsible for extending the tongue and pulling it forward.
• The hyoglossus muscle: This muscle originates from the hyoid bone and attaches to the sides of the tongue. It is responsible for pulling the tongue downward and to the sides.
• The styloglossus muscle: This muscle originates from the styloid process of the temporal bone and attaches to the back of the tongue. It is responsible for retracting the tongue and pulling it upward.
• The palatoglossus muscle: This muscle originates from the palatine aponeurosis and attaches to the back of the tongue. It is responsible for elevating the back of the tongue and closing off the oropharynx during swallowing.

Intrinsic Tongue Muscles

The intrinsic muscles of the tongue can be divided into four main groups, the longitudinal muscles, the transverse muscles, the vertical muscles, and the pharyngeal constrictors.

The longitudinal muscles are located on the dorsum of the tongue, these muscles runs along the length of the tongue and are responsible for the tongue’s ability to elongate and shorten. These muscles are divided into two parts, the superior longitudinal muscle and the inferior longitudinal muscle.

• The superior longitudinal muscle is located on the upper side of the tongue and runs from the base to the tip of the tongue, while the inferior longitudinal muscle is located on the lower side of the tongue and runs from the base to the tip.

• The transverse muscles are located on the sides of the tongue and are responsible for the tongue’s ability to widen or narrow. These muscles are divided into two parts, the right and left transverse muscles. These muscles are responsible for the lateral movement of the tongue and help to shape the tongue during speech and swallowing.

• The vertical muscles are located in the middle of the tongue, these muscles run from the base to the tip of the tongue.

The tongue muscles can have a variability in their arrangement, as explored in this article.