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Inferior longitudinal lingual muscle

The inferior longitudinal lingual muscle is a paired intrinsic muscle of the tongue that plays a crucial role in shaping and controlling tongue movements, particularly by shortening and pulling the tip of the tongue downward. Located close to the inferior surface of the tongue, it is important in articulation, swallowing, and maintaining the overall structure of the tongue. This muscle is of great clinical interest due to its role in speech, deglutition, and its appearance on radiological imaging.

Synonyms

  • Inferior longitudinal muscle of tongue

  • Musculus longitudinalis inferior linguae

Function

  • Shortens the tongue

  • Pulls the tip and sides of the tongue downward

  • Contributes to the shaping and movement of the tongue during speech and swallowing

  • Aids in the flattening of the tongue

Origin

  • The inferior longitudinal muscle arises from the root of the tongue, specifically from the body of the hyoid bone and the fibrous tissue near the tongue base.

Insertion

  • Fibers run forward and insert into the apex (tip) of the tongue and along the lower surface of the tongue.

  • Some fibers interdigitate with fibers from the styloglossus and genioglossus muscles.

Nerve Supply

  • Supplied by the hypoglossal nerve (cranial nerve XII)

  • All intrinsic muscles of the tongue share this nerve supply

Artery Supply

  • Branches of the lingual artery (a branch of the external carotid artery)

  • Secondary supply from the tonsillar branch of the facial artery and the ascending pharyngeal artery

Vein Supply

  • Drained primarily by the lingual vein, which ultimately drains into the internal jugular vein

MRI Appearance

  • T1-weighted images:

    • Appears as a muscle with intermediate (isointense) signal intensity compared to other tongue muscles

  • T2-weighted images:

    • Shows  isointense signal relative to adjacent muscles, with clear distinction from surrounding fat

  • STIR (Short Tau Inversion Recovery):

    • The muscle appears relatively hypointense compared to the hyperintense signal of edematous or inflamed tissue

    • Useful for identifying muscle pathology such as edema, inflammation, or tumor infiltration

CT Appearance

  • Appears as a soft tissue density along the inferior aspect of the tongue

  • Usually indistinguishable from other intrinsic tongue muscles on non-contrast CT

MRI images

inferior longitudinal lingual muscle mri axial image