Verticalis linguae muscle
Musculus verticalis linguae
- Synonym: Vertical muscle of tongue
- Related terms: Vertical muscle of tongue
Definition
Verticalis linguae muscle | |
Location | Confined mainly to the borders of the anterior part of the tongue, where its fibres interlace with those of the transverse muscle fibres |
Origin & Insertion | Extends from the dorsal surface to the ventral surface of the tongue (top to bottom) |
Innervation | Hypoglossal nerve (cranial nerve XII) |
Action | Flattens and broadens the tongue by bringing its dorsal and ventral surfaces closer together |
Blood Supply | Branches of the lingual artery |
Actions
The verticalis linguae muscle acts synergistically with the transverse muscle (which narrows and elongates the tongue) to provide fine control of tongue shape, which is essential for speech articulation, bolus formation, and oral cavity clearance during swallowing.
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/
