Levator veli palatini muscle
| Levator veli palatini muscle |
|---|
|
| origin |
| Temporal bone , Eustachian tube |
| approach |
| Soft palate |
| function |
| Soft palate lifter |
| Innervation |
| Pharyngeal plexus from the Nn. vagus et glossopharyngeus |
The levator veli palatini muscle ( Latin for "soft palate lifter") is a rounded skeletal muscle of the head. It arises from the pars petrosa of the temporal bone ( os temporale ) and the inner plate of the eustachian tube and radiates into the soft palate ( velum palatinum , also known as the “soft palate” palatum molle ). He tenses up during the act of swallowing and lifts the soft palate. This prevents food from entering the nasopharynx . The innervation occurs through the pharyngeal plexus ( pharyngeal plexus ), mainly via fibers of the vagus nerve ( cranial nerve X).
In addition, the muscle, together with the tensor veli palatini muscle , supports the opening of the eustachian tube and is thus involved in equalizing the pressure between the outside world and the middle ear . In horses , the muscle lies on the airbag valve and regulates its opening.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Federative Committee on Anatomical Terminology (FCAT): Terminologia Anatomica. Thieme, Stuttgart 1998, ISBN 3-13-114361-4 .