Soft palate (dave's notes) Flashcards
Describe the soft palate
The soft palate hangs down from the back of the hard palate as a mobile fold closing off the nasopharynx
What muscles act on the soft palate?
Tensor palati Levator palati Palatoglossus Palatopharyngeus - two heads The muscle of the uvula
What is the innervation to the muscles acting on the soft palate?
The pharyngeal plexus, except tensor palati. This is innervated by the medial pterygoid nerve, a branch of the mandibular nerve which is the third branch of the trigeminal nerve. The only muscle of the palate that is not innervated by the ??vagus??
What are the attachments of tensor palati?
From the medial pterygoid plate in the scaphoid fossa, converges as a flat tendon then broadens as a wide triangular aponeurosis. this attaches to the crest of the palatine bone, and the posterolateral aspect blends with the side wall of the pharynx
What happens when tensor palati contracts?
It opens the auditory tube
What are the attachments of levator palati?
A round mass from the petrous bone inserted into the nasal surface of the palatine aponeuroses
What is the action of levator palati?
Contraction pulls upwards and backwards
What are the attachments of palatoglossus?
In front of the tonsil. From under the surface of the palatine aponeuroses to interdigitate with styloglossus
What is the action of palatoglossus?
Raises the anterior fold which raises the tongue and narrows the aperture
What are the attachments of palatopharyngeus?
Behind the tonsil. Two heads from the posterior border of the hard palate and the aponeeuses (thus embracing the levator palati muscles).
What is the action of palatopharyngeus?
The anterior head raises the larynx
The posterior head depresses the tense palate
How else are tensor palati and levator palati known?
Tensor veli palatini and levator veli palatini
