The thyrohyoid muscle is an infrahyoid muscle found in the neck. It is located in the deep plane of the neck, alongside the sternothyroid muscle. This muscle has a few distinct features that set it apart from other muscles in the body.
The thyrohyoid muscle attaches to the thyroid cartilage of the larynx and ascends towards the hyoid bone. This attachment point is important as it plays a role in the movement of the muscle.
The main action of the thyrohyoid muscle is to depress the hyoid bone. If the hyoid bone is held in a fixed position, the thyrohyoid muscle can instead elevate the larynx. Both of these functions play an important role in the overall movement of the neck and throat.
The thyrohyoid muscle is innervated by the anterior ramus of C1, which is carried within the hypoglossal nerve. Without this nerve functioning properly, the thyrohyoid muscle will not work correctly.
The blood supply to the thyrohyoid muscle is provided by two main sources: the superior thyroid artery (a branch of the external carotid artery), and the inferior thyroid artery (a branch of the thyrocervical trunk). The blood supply ensures that the muscle has enough oxygen and nutrients to perform its vital functions.
Fig 1 displays an anterior view of the infrahyoid muscles of the neck, while Fig 2 shows a lateral view of the infrahyoid muscles. Both of these figures are valuable in visualizing the location and structure of the thyrohyoid muscle and its relationship to other muscles in the neck.
The thyrohyoid muscle is an infrahyoid muscle found in the neck. It attaches to the thyroid cartilage of the larynx and ascends towards the hyoid bone. Its main action is to depress the hyoid bone, while if held in a fixed position, it can elevate the larynx. It is innervated by the anterior ramus of C1, which is carried within the hypoglossal nerve, and is supplied by the superior and inferior thyroid arteries. Figures 1 and 2 help to visualize the location and structure of the thyrohyoid muscle and its relationship to other muscles in the neck.
