Tongue

Describe tongue under the following headings:

a) Nerve supply
b) Lymphatic drainage
c) External features and papillae
d) Muscles

Nerve supply
Sensory supply:
Anterior two-third of the tongue is supplied by:
(a) lingual nerve- general sensations
(b) chorda tympani nerve- sensations of taste.

Posterior one-third of the tongue is supplied by:

(a) glossopharyngeal nerve- both general and special sensations of taste
(b) posteriormost part (base of the tongue), supplied by the internal laryngeal branch of the superior
laryngeal- special sensations of taste.

Motor supply:
All the muscles of tongue (intrinsic and extrinsic) are supplied by the hypoglossal nerve except
palatoglossus which is supplied by cranial root of accessory via pharyngeal plexus.

Lymphatic drainage
1. Apical vessels: Drain the tip and inferior surface
of the tongue into submental
lymph nodes then into jugulo-omohyoid nodes.
2. Marginal vessels: Drain the marginal portions of the anterior two-third of
the tongue unilaterally into submandibular lymph nodes and then to
the lower deep cervical lymph nodes
3. Central vessels: Drain the central portion of the anterior two-third
of the tongue bilaterally into the deep cervical lymph nodes.
4. Basal vessels: Drain the root of the tongue and posterior one-

third of the tongue bilaterally into upper deep cervical lymph

nodes, including jugulodigastric.
External features and papillae
Root
The root of the tongue is attached to the mandible and hyoid bone by muscles
Tip
It comes into contact with the central incisors.
Body
It has dorsal and ventral surfaces and right and left lateral margins.
Dorsal surface
The dorsal surface is convex on all the sides. It is divided by the sulcus terminalis into two parts.
1. Anterior two-third or oral part.
2. Posterior one-third or pharyngeal part.

Ventral surface

It is covered by mucous membrane which is continuous with that of floor of mouth.

Papillae of the tongue (Lingual papillae):

They are projections of lamina propria of mucus membrane covered with epithelium.

1. Vallate papillae:
 Largest in size (2-3mm)-(10-12 in number)
 Found in front of sulcus terminalis
 Shape is like a truncated cone and are surrounded by a circular sulcus
 Have numerous taste buds on the sides

2. Filiform papillae:
 .conical in shape
 Keratinized epithelium
 Arranged in row parallel to sulcus terminalis
 Devoid of taste buds

3. Fungiform papillae:
 Are round on top and round at base
 Mostly present at tip and margins
 Have taste buds

4. Foliate papillae:
 Are leaf like transverse ridges in front of sulcus terminalis on lateral margin
 Have taste buds

Muscles
The tongue is divided into symmetrical right and left halves by a medial fibrous septum. Each half of the
tongue contains four intrinsic and four extrinsic muscles.

Intrinsic muscles
They are confined to the tongue and are not attached to the bone. They occupy the upper part of the
tongue and alter its shape.

1. Superior longitudinal- shortens tongue and makes dorsum concave

2. Inferior longitudinal- shortens tongue and makes dorsum convex
3. Transverse- makes tongue narrow and elongated
4. Vertical- makes tongue flat and broad

Extrinsic muscles
They attach the tongue to the mandible, the hyoid, the styloid process, and the palate on each side and
move the tongue.

1. Genioglossus (life saving muscle)- protrudes tongue

2. Hyoglossus- depress side of tongue
3. Styloglossus- pulls tongue upwards and backwards
4. Palatoglossus- pulls up root of tongue