Transversus Linguae
Tongue · Head & Neck
The transverse muscle of the tongue is an intrinsic muscle whose fibres run horizontally across the tongue from the median fibrous septum to the submucosa at the lateral margins. Having no bony attachment, it acts purely to reshape the tongue: by pulling the sides toward the midline it narrows the tongue and, as a consequence, elongates it, since the same volume of tissue is pushed forward. This ability to make the tongue narrow and pointed is important for speech and for directing food between the teeth. It is innervated by the hypoglossal nerve (CN XII).
Origin, Insertion, Action & Nerve
Origin
Median fibrous septum of the tongue
Insertion
Submucosa at the lateral margins of the tongue
Action
Narrows and elongates the tongue
Nerve
Hypoglossal nerve (CN XII)
Attachments explained
The Transversus Linguae 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
Median fibrous septum of the tongue
Insertion
Submucosa at the lateral margins of the tongue
Action & function
When the Transversus Linguae contracts, it produces the following movement: Narrows and elongates the tongue.
As part of the Tongue 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 Transversus Linguae receives its nerve supply from the Hypoglossal nerve (CN XII).
Because a muscle can only contract when its nerve is intact, injury to the Hypoglossal nerve can weaken or paralyse the Transversus Linguae, impairing the movements it normally produces (narrows and elongates the tongue). This is why knowing the innervation is central to localising nerve lesions in clinical practice.
How to study the Transversus Linguae (the OIANS method)
Fix the transverse muscle by the direction of its fibres, side to side from the central septum. Squeezing the sides inward makes the tongue narrow, and narrowing a fixed volume forces it to lengthen. So the mnemonic transverse narrows and lengthens comes straight from imagining the horizontal fibres drawing the margins together.
Contrast it with the vertical muscle to keep the two shape-changers apart. Transverse fibres narrow and elongate the tongue, whereas vertical fibres flatten and widen it, so the two are near opposites acting in different planes. Both belong to the intrinsic group under CN XII, so learning them as a complementary pair covers the innervation once for both.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the Transversus Linguae located?
The Transversus Linguae is a muscle of the Tongue group, located in the Head & Neck.
What is the origin of the Transversus Linguae?
Median fibrous septum of the tongue
What is the insertion of the Transversus Linguae?
Submucosa at the lateral margins of the tongue
What movements does the Transversus Linguae produce?
Narrows and elongates the tongue
What nerve supplies the Transversus Linguae?
Hypoglossal nerve (CN XII)
Is the Transversus Linguae free to study in OIANS?
The Transversus Linguae 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
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