Lateral cricoarytenoid muscle

The lateral cricoarytenoid (also anterior cricoarytenoid) is an intrinsic muscle of the larynx. It attaches at the cricoid cartilage anteriorly, and at the arytenoid cartilage of the same side posteriorly. It is innervated by the recurrent laryngeal nerve. It acts to close the rima glottidis, thus closing the airway.

Lateral cricoarytenoid
Muscles of larynx. Side view. Right lamina of thyroid cartilage removed.
Details
OriginLateral part of the arch of the cricoid
InsertionMuscular process of the arytenoid cartilage
NerveRecurrent laryngeal branch of the vagus
ActionsAdduct and medially rotate the cartilage, pulling the vocal ligaments towards the midline and backwards and so closing off the rima glottidis
AntagonistPosterior cricoarytenoid muscle
Identifiers
Latinmusculus cricoarytaenoideus lateralis
TA98A06.2.08.006
TA22198
FMA46579
Anatomical terms of muscle

Anatomy

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The muscle is directed obliquely superoposteriorly from its anterior attachment to its posterior attachment.[1]

Attachments

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The muscle's anterior attachment is onto the superior border of the arch of the cricoid cartilage.[1]

Its posterior attachment is onto the anterior aspect of the muscular process of the ipsilateral arytenoid cartilage.[2]

Innervation

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The muscle receives motor innervation from (branches of the anterior terminal division of) the recurrent laryngeal nerve[3] (which is in turn a branch of a vagus nerve (CN X)).

Actions/movements

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The muscle rotates the arytenoid cartilage medially (it thus acts as antagonist to the posterior cricoarytenoid muscle which rotates the cartilage laterally).[1]

Function

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The muscle closes the rima glottidis, adducting (approximating) the apices of the vocal process to close the ligamentous part of rima glottidis (in which it is synergystic with the oblique arytenoid muscles and transverse arytenoid muscle).[1] It thus functions to close the airway.[citation needed]

It also shortens and slackens the vocal cords.[1]

Additional images

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Standring, Susan (2020). Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice (42th ed.). New York. p. 727. ISBN 978-0-7020-7707-4. OCLC 1201341621.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  2. ^ Standring, Susan (2020). Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice (42th ed.). New York. p. 727. ISBN 978-0-7020-7707-4. OCLC 1201341621.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  3. ^ Standring, Susan (2020). Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice (42th ed.). New York. p. 727. ISBN 978-0-7020-7707-4. OCLC 1201341621.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
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