Pharyngeal muscles

Pharyngeal muscles
Muscles of the pharynx and cheek
Muscles of the pharynx, viewed from behind, together with the associated vessels and nerves
Details
Latin	musculi pharyngis, musculus constrictor pharyngis or tunica muscularis pharyngis
Nerve	receives motor innervation by Vagus nerve (CN X)
Identifiers
TA
TH	{{#property:P1694}}
TE	{{#property:P1693}}
FMA	{{#property:P1402}}
Anatomical terms of muscle [[[d:|edit on Wikidata]]]

The pharyngeal muscles are a group of muscles that form the pharynx, determining the shape of its lumen. The pharyngeal muscles contracts pushing the food into the oesophagus. There are two muscular layers of the pharynx: the outer circular layer and the inner longitudinal layer. The outer circular layer includes:

• Inferior constrictor muscle
• Middle constrictor muscle
• Superior constrictor muscle

During swallowing, these muscles constrict to propel 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).