Major action and cranial motor nerve supply of oropharyngeal muscles in human
| Muscle group | Muscle | Nerve supply | Major action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jaw (masticatory) muscles | Masseter | V | Elevates the mandible and closes the mouth |
| Temporal | V | Elevates the mandible and closes the mouth (contraction of the entire muscle); retruding the mandible (contraction of posterior fibers only) | |
| Medial pterygoid | V | Elevates the mandible and closes the mouth | |
| Lateral pterygoid | V | Protrudes and depresses the mandible (bilateral contraction); lateral excursion of the mandible to the opposite site (unilateral contraction) | |
| Hyoid muscles (suprahyoid group) | Digastric | Anterior belly: V; Posterior belly: VII | Depresses the mandible when hyoid is fixed or elevates the hyoid and larynx if the mandible is fixed |
| Mylohyoid | V | Depresses the mandible when the hyoid attachment is fixed or elevates the hyoid bone when the mandibular attachment is fixed | |
| Geniohyoid | C1 | Assists in depression of the mandible, elevation and protrusion of the hyoid, and widening of the pharynx | |
| Stylohyoid | VII | Elevates and retracts the hyolingual apparatus and keeps the pharynx open during inspiration | |
| Hyoid muscles (infrahyoid group) | Omohyoid | C2, C3 | Depresses and retracts the hyoid and larynx |
| Sternohyoid | C1–C3 | Depresses the hyoid | |
| Sternothyoid | C1–C3 | Depresses the hyoid and larynx when activated along with other infrahyoid muscles and opening the laryngeal inlet when activated alone | |
| Thyrohyoid | C1 | Depresses the hyoid when activated with other infrahyoid muscles and elevates the larynx when the hyoid is stabilized | |
| Pharyngeal muscles (outer circular layer) | Inferior constrictor | X | Constricts the wall of pharynx during swallowing |
| Middle constrictor | X | ||
| Superior constrictor | X | ||
| Pharyngeal muscles (inner longitudinal layer) | Stylopharyngeus | IX | Shortens and widens the pharynx during swallowing |
| Salpingopharyngeus | X | ||
| Palatopharyngeus | X | ||
| Tongue muscles (extrinsic) | Genioglossus | XII | Depresses and protrudes the tongue (bilateral contraction) or contralaterally deviates the tongue (unilateral contraction) |
| Hyoglossus | XII | Depresses and retracts the tongue | |
| Styloglossus | XII | Retracts and elevates lateral portion of the tongue (midline depression known as cupping) | |
| Palatoglossus | X | Elevates the lingual root during swallowing and depresses the soft palate | |
| Tongue muscles (intrinsic) | Superior longitudinal | XII | Retracts and broadens the tongue, elevates tongue apex |
| Inferior longitudinal | XII | Retracts and broadens the tongue, lowers tongue apex | |
| Transverse | XII | Narrows and elongates the tongue | |
| Vertical | XII | Broadens and elongates the tongue |