Inferior longitudinal lingual muscle
Musculus longitudinalis inferior linguae
- Synonym: Inferior longitudinal muscle of tongue
- Related terms: Inferior longitudinal muscle
Definition
Inferior longitudinal lingual muscle | |
Location | Extends antero-posteriorly, lying close to the inferior surface of the tongue, between the genioglossus (medially) and the hyoglossus (laterally) |
Origin & Insertion | Extends from the root of the tongue (near the hyoid bone) to the apex of the tongue |
Innervation | Hypoglossal nerve (cranial nerve XII) |
Action | Shortens the tongue and pulls its tip downward |
Blood Supply | Lingual artery and its branches |
The inferior longitudinal lingual muscle is one of the intrinsic muscles of the tongue. It runs along the underside of the tongue, shortening and curling its tip downward to aid in controlled, coordinated tongue movements essential for speech and deglutition.
The inferior longitudinal lingual muscle acts antagonistically to the superior longitudinal muscle (which curls the tip upward).
References
Gray, H. (2016) Gray’s Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice. 41st edn. Edited by S. Standring. New York: Elsevier. Chapter 31: Oral Cavity, pp. 511-513.
Dotiwala AK, Samra NS. Anatomy, Head and Neck, Tongue. [Updated 2023 Aug 21]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507782/
