Stylopharyngeus muscle

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 (CN IX)
Actions	elevate the larynx, elevate the pharynx, swallowing
MeSH	Pharyngeal+Muscles

The stylopharyngeus is a muscle in the head that stretches between the 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 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.

Innervation

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

Actions

The stylopharyngeus:

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

Embryological origin

Third pharyngeal arch

See also

• Stylohyoid muscle
• Styloglossus muscle

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.

External links

• LUC styp
• 516948046 at GPnotebook

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained within it may be outdated.