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Structure and Function of the Laryngeal and Pharyngeal Muscles

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Craniofacial Muscles

Abstract

The muscles of the pharynx and larynx subserve critical airway, deglutitive and communication functions. The laryngeal muscles protect the lower airway from invasion and allow voice production for the purposes of communication. The muscles of the pharynx serve deglutitive functions by creating appropriate pressures to receive and propel a bolus and to shape the airway to modulate resonance during voice and speech production. Thus, the laryngeal and pharyngeal muscles are critically important to survival and to communication. The structure and function of these muscles are summarized in Table 9.1. A subset of these muscles will be discussed in this chapter as related to voice, swallowing, and airway functions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Communicative Disorders and Surgery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 600 Highland Avenue K4/711, Madison, WI, 53792, USA

    Lisa A. Vinney M.S. & Nadine P. Connor Ph.D.

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  1. Lisa A. Vinney M.S.
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  2. Nadine P. Connor Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Nadine P. Connor Ph.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Ophthalmology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, 55455, Minnesota, USA

    Linda K. McLoon

  2. Dept. Physiology, University of Kentucky, Leader Ave. 138, Lexington, 40506-9983, Kentucky, USA

    Francisco Andrade

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Vinney, L.A., Connor, N.P. (2012). Structure and Function of the Laryngeal and Pharyngeal Muscles. In: McLoon, L., Andrade, F. (eds) Craniofacial Muscles. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-4466-4_9

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