The pharyngeal muscles are a group of muscles that form the
pharynx, which is posterior to the oral cavity, determining the shape of its
lumen, and affecting its sound properties as the primary resonating cavity.
The pharyngeal muscles (involuntary skeletal) push food into the
esophagus. There are two muscular layers of the
pharynx: the outer circular layer and the inner longitudinal layer.
The outer circular layer includes:
*
Superior constrictor muscle
*
Middle constrictor muscle
*
Inferior constrictor muscle
During
swallowing
Swallowing, sometimes called deglutition in scientific contexts, is the process in the human or animal body that allows for a substance to pass from the mouth, to the pharynx, and into the esophagus, while shutting the epiglottis. Swallowing i ...
, these muscles constrict to propel a bolus downwards (an involuntary process).
The inner longitudinal layer includes:
*
Stylopharyngeus muscle
*
Salpingopharyngeus muscle
*
Palatopharyngeus muscle
During swallowing, these muscles act to shorten and widen the pharynx.
They are innervated by the
pharyngeal branch of the
vagus nerve (CN X) with the exception of the stylopharyngeus muscle which is innervated by the
glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX).
References
Muscles of the head and neck
Pharynx
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