Verticalis Linguae
Tongue · Head & Neck
The vertical muscle of the tongue is an intrinsic muscle found mainly in the anterior, free part of the tongue, its fibres running vertically from the dorsal submucosa down to the ventral surface at the margins. With no bony attachment, it changes the tongue's cross-sectional shape: by pulling the top surface toward the bottom it flattens the tongue and, in doing so, widens it. This flattening and broadening helps press the tongue against the floor of the mouth and complements the narrowing action of the transverse muscle. Like the other intrinsic muscles, it is supplied by the hypoglossal nerve (CN XII).
Origin, Insertion, Action & Nerve
Origin
Submucosa of the dorsum of the tongue
Insertion
Inferior (ventral) surface at the margins of the tongue
Action
Flattens and widens the tongue
Nerve
Hypoglossal nerve (CN XII)
Attachments explained
The Verticalis 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
Submucosa of the dorsum of the tongue
Insertion
Inferior (ventral) surface at the margins of the tongue
Action & function
When the Verticalis Linguae contracts, it produces the following movement: Flattens and widens 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 Verticalis 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 Verticalis Linguae, impairing the movements it normally produces (flattens and widens the tongue). This is why knowing the innervation is central to localising nerve lesions in clinical practice.
How to study the Verticalis Linguae (the OIANS method)
Anchor the vertical muscle to its top-to-bottom fibre run and reason to its action: pulling the dorsum down onto the floor of the mouth flattens the tongue, and flattening spreads it wider. So vertical flattens and widens follows naturally once you picture the fibres compressing the tongue from above.
Learn it as the complement of the transverse muscle, since together they trade thickness for width. Vertical flattens and widens, transverse narrows and lengthens; the two intrinsic sheets work at right angles, both under CN XII. Framing them as an opposing pair covers both action and innervation in a single comparison.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the Verticalis Linguae located?
The Verticalis Linguae is a muscle of the Tongue group, located in the Head & Neck.
What is the origin of the Verticalis Linguae?
Submucosa of the dorsum of the tongue
What is the insertion of the Verticalis Linguae?
Inferior (ventral) surface at the margins of the tongue
What movements does the Verticalis Linguae produce?
Flattens and widens the tongue
What nerve supplies the Verticalis Linguae?
Hypoglossal nerve (CN XII)
Is the Verticalis Linguae free to study in OIANS?
The Verticalis 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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