Hyoglossus
Hyoglossus is a muscle in the human body that is part of the tongue's extrinsic muscles. It is a thin, quadrilateral muscle that is located in the neck and is responsible for the downward movement of the tongue. The Hyoglossus originates from the hyoid bone and inserts into the side of the tongue.
Anatomy
The Hyoglossus muscle originates from the side of the body and the greater cornu of the hyoid bone. From there, it runs upwards and forwards, and inserts into the side of the tongue. The muscle fibers from the body of the hyoid bone are continuous with those from the greater cornu.
The Hyoglossus is located between the Styloglossus and the Inferior longitudinal muscle of the tongue. It is covered by the Mylohyoid muscle, the Hypoglossal nerve, and the Lingual artery and Lingual vein.
Function
The main function of the Hyoglossus is to depress the tongue. It pulls the sides of the tongue down which helps in the downward movement of the tongue. This is important for several functions including swallowing and speech.
Clinical significance
Damage to the Hyoglossus muscle can result in difficulty moving the tongue which can affect speech and swallowing. Conditions that can affect the Hyoglossus include nerve damage, muscle disorders, and injuries.
See also
- Tongue
- Extrinsic muscles of the tongue
- Hyoid bone
- Styloglossus
- Inferior longitudinal muscle of the tongue
- Mylohyoid muscle
- Hypoglossal nerve
- Lingual artery
- Lingual vein
References
<references />
Ad. Transform your health with W8MD Weight Loss, Sleep & MedSpa

Tired of being overweight?
Get started with evidence based, physician-supervised
affordable GLP-1 weight loss injections
Now available in New York City and Philadelphia:
- Semaglutide starting from $59.99/week and up
- Tirzepatide starting from $69.99/week and up (dose dependent)
✔ Evidence-based medical weight loss ✔ Insurance-friendly visits available ✔ Same-week appointments, evenings & weekends
Learn more:
Start your transformation today with W8MD weight loss centers.
|
WikiMD Medical Encyclopedia |
Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Content may be inaccurate or outdated and should not be used for diagnosis or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider for medical decisions. Verify information with trusted sources such as CDC.gov and NIH.gov. By using this site, you agree that WikiMD is not liable for any outcomes related to its content. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates, categories Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian


