Region

Muscle

Function

Origin

Insertion

Innervation

Facial expression

Frontalis

Elevate eyebrow
and forehead
Close eyelid (two
parts for light and
tight closure)
Purses lips (e.g. in
whistling)
Elevate lip and flare
nostril

Epicranial
aponeurosis
Bone of medial orbit

Skin of forehead

Facial (VII)

Skin around orbit

Facial (VII)

Median maxilla and

mandible, deep skin
Maxilla in
infraorbital region

Facial (VII)

Platysma

Tense skin of chin

and neck

Mentalis
Buccinator

Protrude lower lip

Press check against
molars (e.g. in
blowing air through
a trumpet)

Superficial fascia of
deltoid and
pectorals
Mandible
Pterygomandibular
raphe, mandible

Mucous membrane
of lips
Skin of upper lip,
alar cartilage of
nose
Various around
lower face
Skin of chin
Angle of mouth

Facial (VII)
Facial (VII)

Trapezius

Elevate, rotate,
retract scapula

Lateral clavicle,
spine of scapula

Accessory (XI)

Sternocleidomastoid
Splenius capitis

Sternum, clavicle
Mastoid, superior
nuchal line

Accessory (XI)
Dorsal rami cervical

Levator scapulae

Tilt head, flex neck

Extend head or
laterally flex and
rotate head
Elevate scapula

Superior nuchal
line, spinous process
C7-T12
Mastoid process
Spinous process T1T6

Scalenus posterior

Laterally flex neck

Superior medial
scapula
Rib 2

Scalenus medius

Laterally flex neck

Scalenus anterior

Laterally flex neck

Transverse process
C1-C4
Transverse process
C4-C6
Transverse process
C2-C7
Transverse process
C3-C6

Dorsal scapular
(C5)
Ventral rami
cervical
Ventral rami
cervical
Ventral rami
cervical

Orbicularis oculi
Orbicularis oris
Levator labii
superioris

Posterior triangle

Rib 1
Rib 1

Facial (VII)
Facial (VII)

Blood Supply

Region

Muscle

Function

Origin

Insertion

Innervation

Eye

Levator palpebrae
superioris
Superior rectus

Open eyelid

Sphenoid

Elevate, adduct,
intorsion
Depress, adduct,
extorsion
Abduct
Adduct

Tendinous ring

Tarsus and skin of

upper eyelid
Sclera

Tendinous ring

Sclera

Tendinous ring
Tendinous ring

Sclera
Sclera

Depress, abduct,
intorsion
Elevate, abduct,
extorsion

Sphenoid

Sclera

Superior
oculomotor (III)
Superior
oculomotor (III)
Inferior oculomotor
(III)
Abducent (VI)
Inferior oculomotor
(III)
Trochlear (IV)

Floor of orbit

Sclera

Inferior oculomotor
(III)

Elevation and
retraction
Elevation and
protrusion
Protrusion and
mediolateral sliding

Temporal fossa

Coronoid process of
mandible
Lateral side of
ramus of mandible
Medial side of
ramus of mandible

Mandibular (V3)

Neck of mandible
and TMJ

Mandibular (V3)

Inferior rectus
Lateral rectus
Medial rectus
Superior oblique
Inferior oblique
Temporalmandibular
joint (mastication)

Temporalis
Masseter
Medial pterygoid
Lateral pterygoid

Elevation,
protrusion and
mediolateral sliding

Zygomatic arch
Lateral pterygoid
plate, palatine,
maxilla
Lateral pterygoid
plate and sphenoid

Blood Supply

Mandibular (V3)
Mandibular (V3)

Main functions on mandible shown only. See Table 7.4 in Grants (p. 581) or Basicranium/Pharynx lecture (p. 12) for more.
Primary depression is gravity and is assisted by infrahyoid muscles.

Region

Muscle

Function

Origin

Insertion

Innervation

Suprahyoid

Mylohyoid

Elevate hyoid and

floor of mouth
Pull hyoid anterosuperiorly
Elevate and retract
hyoid
Depress mandible,
elevate hyoid

Mylohyoid line of
mandible
Mental spine of
mandible
Styloid process

Body of hyoid
Body of hyoid

Inferior alveolar
(V3)
C1 (via XII)

Body of hyoid

Facial (VII)

Mastoid process to
fascial sling

Mandible

Anterior: inferior
alveolar (V3)
Posterior: facial
(VII)

Sternohyoid

Depress hyoid

Sternum

Body of hyoid

Sternothyroid

Depress hyoid

Sternum

Thyroid cartilage

Thyrohyoid

Depress hyoid

Thryoid cartilage

Omohyoid

Depress hyoid

Superior border of
scapula through
fascial sling

Body and greater

horn of hyoid
Inferior border of
hyoid

Ansa cervicalis (C1C3)

Ansa cervicalis (C1C3)
C1 (via XII)

Longus colli

Flex neck

Longus capitis

Flex head

Anterior tubercle of
axis
Occipital bone

Rectus capitis

Flex head

Occipital bone

Geniohyoid
Stylohyoid
Digastric

Infrahyoid

Prevertebral muscles

Medial to lateral: longus colli, longus capitis, rectus capitis

Body T3, C1-C3

Transverse process
C3-C6
Atlas

Ansa cervicalis (C1C3)

Ventral rami
cervical
Ventral rami
cervical
Ventral rami
cervical

Blood Supply

Region

Muscle

Function

Origin

Insertion

Innervation

Pharynx, external

Superior constrictor

Constrict pharynx
during swallowing
Constrict pharynx
during swallowing
Constrict pharynx
during swallowing

Pterygomandibular
raphe, hamulus
Hyoid

Median raphe

Thryoid and cricoid

cartilages

Median raphe

Pharyngeal plexus
(cranial XI via X)
Pharyngeal plexus
(cranial XI via X)
Pharyngeal plexus
(cranial XI via X)

Elevate pharynx
and larynx
Elevate pharynx
and larynx
Elevate pharynx
and larynx, open
auditory tube

Hard palate, palatine

aponeurosis
Styloid process

Lateral pharynx

Cartilaginous
auditory tube

Blends with
palatopharyngeus

Pharyngeal plexus
(cranial XI via X)
Glossopharyngeal
(IX)
Pharyngeal plexus
(cranial XI via X)

Cricothyroid

Tenses vocal folds

Posterior
cricoarytenoid
Lateral
cricoarytenoid
Thyroarytenoid

Abduct vocal folds

Arytenoids
(transverse and
oblique)
Vocalis

Adduct vocal folds

Anterolateral cricoid
cartilage
Posterior cricoid
cartilage
Arch of cricoid
cartilage
Posterior thyroid
cartilage
Arytenoid cartilage

Inferior thyroid
cartilage
Muscular process of
arytenoid cartilages
Muscular process of
arytenoid cartilages
Muscular process of
arytenoid cartilages
Other arytenoid
cartilage

External laryngeal
(X)
Recurrent laryngeal
(X)
Recurrent laryngeal
(X)
Recurrent laryngeal
(X)
Recurrent laryngeal
(X)

Angle bet. laminae

of thyroid cartilage

Vocal process of
arytenoid cartilages

Recurrent laryngeal
(X)

Middle constrictor
Inferior constrictor
Pharnyx, internal

Palatopharyngeus
(see also soft palate)
Stylopharyngeus
Salpingopharyngeus

Larynx

Adduct vocal folds

Loosen vocal fold

Adjust vocal folds

Median raphe

Thryoid cartilage

Blood Supply

Region

Muscle

Function

Origin

Insertion

Innervation

Tongue

Genioglossus

Depress and
protrude tongue
Depress and retract
tongue
Retract tongue for
swallowing

Medial mandible

Tongue

Hypoglossal (XII)

Hyoid

Tongue

Hypoglossal (XII)

Styloid process

Tongue

Hypoglossal (XII)

Elevate soft palate

(e.g. to swallow)
Tense palate (by
laterally pulling it),
open auditory tube
Oppose palate and
back of tongue
Tense palate, pulls
on pharynx during
swallowing
Elevate uvula

Auditory tube,
temporal bone
Scaphoid fossa
(hooks around
hamate)
Palatine aponeurosis

Palatine aponeurosis

Pharyngeal plexus
(cranial XI via X)
Mandibular (V3)

Hard palate, palatine

aponeurosis

Lateral pharynx

Nasal spine

Uvula

Hyoglossus
Styloglossus
Soft palate

Levator veli palatini

Tensor veli palatini
Palatoglossus
Palatopharyngeus
Musculus uvulae

Palatine aponeurosis
Side of tongue

Pharyngeal plexus
(cranial XI via X)
Pharyngeal plexus
(cranial XI via X)
Pharyngeal plexus
(cranial XI via X)

Blood Supply