Stylohyoid muscle

Stylohyoid
The stylohyoid among the triangles of the neck.
Muscles of the neck. Anterior view. Stylohyoid muscle in purple
Details
Origin	styloid process (temporal)
Insertion	lesser cornu of hyoid bone
Nerve	facial nerve (CN VII)
Actions	Elevate the hyoid during swallowing
Identifiers
Latin	musculus stylohyoideus
TA98	A04.2.03.005
TA2	2164
FMA	9625
Anatomical terms of muscle

The stylohyoid muscle is a slender muscle, lying anterior, and superior of the posterior belly of the digastric muscle. It shares this muscle's innervation by the facial nerve, and functions to draw the hyoid bone backwards and elevate the tongue.

Structure

Origin and insertion

It arises from the posterior and lateral surface of the styloid process of the temporal bone, near the base; and, passing inferior and anterior, it is inserted into the body of the hyoid bone, at its junction with the greater cornu, and just superior the omohyoid muscle. It thus belongs to the group of suprahyoid muscles.

When contracted, it elevates the hyoid, this action is primarily brought about during swallowing.

It is perforated, near its insertion, by the intermediate tendon of the digastric muscle.

Innervation

A branch from the extracranial path of the facial nerve (CN VII) innervates the Stylohyoid muscle.

Variations

It may be absent or doubled, lie beneath the carotid artery, or be inserted into the omohyoid, or mylohyoid muscles.

Additional images

• 
  Left temporal bone. Outer surface.
• 
  Hyoid bone. Anterior surface. Enlarged.
• 
  Superficial dissection of the right side of the neck, showing the carotid and subclavian arteries.
• 
  Extrinsic muscles of the tongue. Left side.
• 
  Stylohyoid muscle
• 
  Stylohyoid muscle

See also

• Stylohyoid ligament

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 392 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

External links

• . GPnotebook https://www.gpnotebook.co.uk/simplepage.cfm?ID=510328910. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
• Anatomy figure: 34:02-04 at Human Anatomy Online, SUNY Downstate Medical Center