Hypoglossal (Noun)
Meaning
Supplies intrinsic muscles of the tongue and other tongue muscles.
Classification
Nouns denoting body parts.
Examples
- The hypoglossal nerve is the twelfth cranial nerve that supplies intrinsic muscles of the tongue and other tongue muscles responsible for tongue movements.
- The hypoglossal nerve is responsible for controlling all the extrinsic and intrinsic muscles of the tongue, except for the palatoglossus muscle.
- Several muscles, including the hyoglossus, styloglossus, genioglossus, are innervated by the hypoglossal nerve that supplies intrinsic muscles of the tongue.
- The action of swallowing requires precise coordination of the hypoglossal nerve with other cranial nerves that supply and regulate movements in the tongue.
- Damage to the hypoglossal nerve results in weakness or atrophy of the tongue's intrinsic and extrinsic muscles which severely impair speech and swallowing abilities.