Medical expert of the article
New publications
Muscles of the larynx
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
Muscles of the larynx are functionally divided into muscles that stretch the vocal cords, expanders and narrowers of the glottis. All muscles of the larynx, except for the transverse anteral, paired.
Strain (stretch) the vocal cords (ligg.vocalia) two muscles: perstneshchitovidnaya and voice.
Muscles of the larynx
Muscles |
Start |
Attachment |
Function |
Innervation |
Muscles that stretch (tighten) the vocal cords | ||||
Feather-toothed muscle |
The front surface of the ring-bearing cartilage |
The lower edge of the plate, the lower horn of the thyroid cartilage |
Tilts the thyroid cartilage anteriorly |
Upper laryngeal nerve |
Muscle muscle |
Angle of thyroid cartilage |
Vox appendage scooped-prominent cartilage, vocal cords |
Pulls the vocal cords forward and backwards (straining her) |
Lower laryngeal nerve |
Muscles that dilate the vocal cavity | ||||
Rear ring-sculp-prominent muscle |
The posterior surface of the ring-bearing cartilage |
Muscular process scooped-prominent cartilage |
Pulls the muscular process of the scooped-prominent cartilage back, while the voice process rotates laterally |
Also |
Muscles narrowing the vocal cavity | ||||
Lateral pericnaherpa-lateral muscle |
The upper edge of the arc of the finger-prominent cartilage |
Also |
Pulls the muscular process of scooping-prominent cartilage forward, while the voice process rotates medially |
»» |
Slanting scoop-prominent muscle |
Muscular process scooped-prominent cartilage |
The top of the antipodal scoop-prominent cartilage |
Approaches the right and left scapular-cartilage to each other |
Lower laryngeal nerve |
Charpawnade-guttural muscle |
Continuation of the previous muscle |
Edge of the Nadgorga Tannica |
Pulls overhead-tannik back, closing the entrance to the larynx | Also |
Transversely scooped-prominent muscle (unpaired) |
The lateral margin of scoop-prominent cartilage |
The lateral margin of the scoop-prominent cartilage of the other side |
Approaches the right and left scoop-prominent cartilages to each other |
»» |
The transcrineal muscle (m.cricothyroideus) begins on the anterior surface of the arc of the cricoid cartilage and is attached to the thyroid cartilage. There are direct and oblique parts of this muscle. The straight part (pars recta) is attached to the lower edge of the thyroid cartilage, the oblique part (pars obliqua) goes upward and laterally and is attached to the base of the lower horn of the thyroid cartilage of the larynx. Acting on pershneshchitovidnye joints, this paired muscle inclines forward thyroid cartilage. The distance between the thyroid cartilage and the vocal appendages of the arytenoid cartilages increases, the vocal cords tensify. When the thyroid cartilage returns to its original position, the vocal cords relax.
The vocal muscle (m.vocalis), or the internal sciatica muscle (m.thyroarytenoideus internus - BNA), is located in the thickness of the same lining of the larynx. The muscle starts on the lateral surface of the vocal appendage of the arytenoid cartilage, is directed forward and attached to the inner surface of the corner of the thyroid cartilage. Some of the fibers of this muscle are interlaced in the vocal cords. The muscle can contract completely or in separate parts, straining the vocal cords whole or in any of its parts.
The posterior cricoid muscle extends the vocal cicle (m.cricoarytenoideus posterior). It starts at the rear surface of the cricoid cartilage, goes upward and laterally and is attached to the muscle process of the arytenoid cartilage. With contraction, the muscle pulls the vocal process back, turns the arytenoid cartilage outward. The vocal appendage of the arytenoid cartilage leaves laterally, and the vocal cleft at the same time expands.
The lateral perinechnic cricoid muscle narrows the vocal cicle, the scutellum, transverse and oblique myaloid muscles.
Lateral cricoid muscle (m.cricoarytenoideus lateralis) begins on the lateral part of the arch of the cricoid cricoid. Goes up and back, attached to the muscle process of the arytenoid cartilage. With the contraction of these muscles, the muscular process of the arytenoid cartilage is shifted forward, and the vocal process moves inward. As a result, the vocal neck (especially its anterior part) narrows.
The sciatica muscle (m.thyroarytenoideus) begins on the inner surface of the plate of the thyroid cartilage, goes back and slightly upward, and attaches itself to the muscular process of the arytenoid cartilage. The muscle also pulls the muscle process forward. The voice processes converge, the vocal cracks narrows.
The transverse arytenoid muscle (m.arytenoideus transversus) located on the posterior surface of both arytenoid cartilages, when contracted, brings the arytenoid cartilages closer, narrowing the posterior part of the glottis.
The oblique anteroid muscle (m.arytenoideus obliquus) is paired, from the posterior surface of the muscular process of one arytenoid cartilage upward and medially to the lateral margin of the other arytenoid cartilage. Muscular bundles of the right and left oblique antero-posterior muscles cross behind the transverse arytenoid muscle, with a reduction in the proximity of the arytenoid cartilages. Separate bundles of oblique scleroid muscles continue into the thickness of cherpalodnagortan folds and attach to the lateral edges of the epiglottis (cherpalodnagortan muscle, m.aryepiglotticus). These bundles, with their contraction narrow the entrance to the larynx. Cherpalodnagortannye muscles incline the epiglottis to the back, closing the entrance to the larynx (with the act of swallowing).
As a result of the action of the muscles on the cartilage and laryngeal joints, the position of the vocal folds changes, the vocal cleft dilates or narrows. In speaking, the voice gap widens to 10-15 mm (from 5 mm with quiet breathing). When shouting, singing, the voice gap widens as much as possible. The width of the glottis can be seen with laryngoscopy (examination of the walls of the larynx) in the clinic.
What do need to examine?
How to examine?