Superior Pharyngeal Constrictor (Glossopharyngeal Part)
Pharynx · Head & Neck
The glossopharyngeal part is the slip of the superior pharyngeal constrictor whose fibres arise from the side of the tongue, where they are continuous with the transverse lingual muscle. These fibres pass backward to the median pharyngeal raphe and the pharyngeal tubercle of the occipital bone with the rest of the superior constrictor. In swallowing it narrows the upper pharynx and, through its link to the tongue, helps couple the movement of the tongue base to the constriction of the pharyngeal wall. It is supplied by the vagus nerve (CN X) through the pharyngeal plexus, distinct from the glossopharyngeal nerve despite the shared name. Its continuity with the tongue makes it the most anterior of the superior constrictor slips.
Origin, Insertion, Action & Nerve
Origin
Side of the tongue (continuous with the transverse lingual muscle)
Insertion
Median pharyngeal raphe and pharyngeal tubercle of the occipital bone
Action
Constricts the pharynx to propel the bolus during swallowing
Nerve
Vagus nerve (CN X) via the pharyngeal plexus
Attachments explained
The Superior Pharyngeal Constrictor (Glossopharyngeal Part) is defined first by where it attaches. Its origin is the more fixed anchor, usually the proximal or more stable end that stays put during contraction, while its insertion is the more mobile point that is pulled toward the origin when the muscle shortens.
Origin
Side of the tongue (continuous with the transverse lingual muscle)
Insertion
Median pharyngeal raphe and pharyngeal tubercle of the occipital bone
Action & function
When the Superior Pharyngeal Constrictor (Glossopharyngeal Part) contracts, it produces the following movement: Constricts the pharynx to propel the bolus during swallowing.
As part of the Pharynx group of the Head & Neck, it works alongside neighbouring muscles to generate smooth, coordinated movement and to stabilise the structures it acts on.
Nerve supply & clinical relevance
The Superior Pharyngeal Constrictor (Glossopharyngeal Part) receives its nerve supply from the Vagus nerve (CN X) via the pharyngeal plexus.
Because a muscle can only contract when its nerve is intact, injury to the Vagus nerve can weaken or paralyse the Superior Pharyngeal Constrictor (Glossopharyngeal Part), impairing the movements it normally produces (constricts the pharynx to propel the bolus during swallowing). This is why knowing the innervation is central to localising nerve lesions in clinical practice.
How to study the Superior Pharyngeal Constrictor (Glossopharyngeal Part) (the OIANS method)
Read the name literally: the glossopharyngeal part springs from the glossus, the tongue, being continuous with the transverse lingual muscle, and runs into the pharyngeal wall. Picturing tongue fibres flowing directly back into the constrictor explains how base-of-tongue movement is transmitted to the pharynx during a swallow.
Avoid the classic trap of confusing this muscular part with the glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX): despite the name, its motor supply is the vagus through the pharyngeal plexus, as with every constrictor except that stylopharyngeus alone answers to CN IX. Keep it as the tongue-derived, most anterior member of the four superior slips converging on the median raphe.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the Superior Pharyngeal Constrictor (Glossopharyngeal Part) located?
The Superior Pharyngeal Constrictor (Glossopharyngeal Part) is a muscle of the Pharynx group, located in the Head & Neck.
What is the origin of the Superior Pharyngeal Constrictor (Glossopharyngeal Part)?
Side of the tongue (continuous with the transverse lingual muscle)
What is the insertion of the Superior Pharyngeal Constrictor (Glossopharyngeal Part)?
Median pharyngeal raphe and pharyngeal tubercle of the occipital bone
What movements does the Superior Pharyngeal Constrictor (Glossopharyngeal Part) produce?
Constricts the pharynx to propel the bolus during swallowing
What nerve supplies the Superior Pharyngeal Constrictor (Glossopharyngeal Part)?
Vagus nerve (CN X) via the pharyngeal plexus
Is the Superior Pharyngeal Constrictor (Glossopharyngeal Part) free to study in OIANS?
The Superior Pharyngeal Constrictor (Glossopharyngeal Part) is always free to browse. Its full origin, insertion, action and nerve details are open to everyone in the Muscle Directory. Quiz and Flashcard practice for the Head & Neck is part of the one-time Lifetime upgrade, though; only the Upper Limb decks are free to test yourself on.
Related muscles
Study the Superior Pharyngeal Constrictor (Glossopharyngeal Part)
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