Stapedius |
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The medial wall and part of the posterior and anterior walls of the right tympanic cavity, lateral view. |
Malleus
Tensor Tympani
Incus
Stapedius
Labyrinth
Stapes
Auditory Canal
Tympanic Membrane
(Ear Drum)
Eustachian Tube
Tympanic cavity
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Bones and muscles in the tympanic cavity in the middle ear |
Latin |
Musculus stapedius |
Gray's |
p.1046 |
Origin |
Walls of pyramidal eminence |
Insertion |
Neck of stapes |
Artery |
Stapedial branch of posterior auricular artery |
Nerve |
Facial nerve (nerve to stapedius) |
Actions |
Control the amplitude of sound waves to the inner ear |
The stapedius is the smallest skeletal muscle in the human body. At just over one millimeter in length, its purpose is to stabilize the smallest bone in the body, the stapes.
Contents
- 1 Structure
- 2 Function
- 3 Clinical relevance
- 4 Evolutionary variation
- 5 See also
- 6 References
- 7 External links
Structure[edit]
The stapedius emerges from a pinpoint foramen in the apex of the pyramidal eminence (a hollow, cone-shaped prominence in the posterior wall of the tympanic cavity), and inserts into the neck of the stapes. [1] :863
Innervation[edit]
The stapedius is innervated by the nerve to stapedius, a branch of the facial nerve. [1]:863
Function[edit]
The stapedius dampens the vibrations of the stapes by pulling on the neck of that bone. [1] :863 It prevents excess movement of the stapes, helping to control the amplitude of sound waves from the general external environment to the inner ear. The stapedius muscle dampens the ability of the stapes vibration and protects the inner ear from high noise levels, primarily the volume of your own voice.
Clinical relevance[edit]
Paralysis of the stapedius, such as in injury to the facial nerve (CN VII) distal to the geniculate ganglion prior to its branch to stapedius muscle (which would also cause Bell's Palsy), allows wider oscillation of the stapes, resulting in heightened reaction of the auditory ossicles to sound vibration. This condition, known as hyperacusis, causes normal sounds to be perceived as very loud.
Evolutionary variation[edit]
Main article: Evolution of mammalian auditory ossicles
Like the stapes bone to which it attaches, the stapedius muscle shares evolutionary history with other vertebrate structures.
The mammalian stapedius evolved from a muscle called the depressor mandibulae in other tetrapods, the function of which was to open the jaws (this function was taken over by the digastric muscle in mammals). The depressor mandibulae arose from the levator operculi in bony fish, and is equivalent to the epihyoidean in sharks. Like the stapedius, all of these muscles derive from the hyoid arch and are innervated by cranial nerve VII.[2]
See also[edit]
This article uses anatomical terminology; for an overview, see anatomical terminology.
- Hearing
- Middle ear
- Ossicles
- Tensor tympani – the other major muscle in the middle ear
- Stapes – the other bone to which the muscle attaches
References[edit]
- ^ a b c Drake, Richard L.; Vogl, Wayne; Tibbitts, Adam W.M. Mitchell ; illustrations by Richard; Richardson, Paul (2005). Gray's anatomy for students. Philadelphia: Elsevier/Churchill Livingstone. ISBN 978-0-8089-2306-0.
- ^ Kardong, Kenneth V. (1995). Vertebrates: comparative anatomy, function, evolution. McGraw-Hill. pp. 55, 57. ISBN 0-697-21991-7.
External links[edit]
- 409665614 at GPnotebook
- Origin, insertion and nerve supply of the muscle at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine
- Stapedius+muscle at eMedicine Dictionary
Sensory system: Auditory and Vestibular systems (TA A15.3, TH 3.11.09, GA 10.1029)
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Outer ear |
- Pinna (Helix, Antihelix, Tragus, Antitragus, Incisura anterior auris, Earlobe)
- Ear canal
- Auricular muscles
- Eardrum (Umbo
- Pars flaccida)
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Middle ear |
Tympanic cavity
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- Labyrinthine wall/medial: Oval window
- Round window
- Secondary tympanic membrane
- Prominence of facial canal
- Promontory of tympanic cavity
- Mastoid wall/posterior: Mastoid cells
- Aditus to mastoid antrum
- Pyramidal eminence
- Tegmental wall/roof: Epitympanic recess
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Ossicles
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- Malleus (Neck of malleus, Superior ligament of malleus, Lateral ligament of malleus, Anterior ligament of malleus)
- Incus (Superior ligament of incus, Posterior ligament of incus)
- Stapes (Anular ligament of stapes)
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Muscles
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Eustachian tube
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- Bony part of pharyngotympanic tube
- Cartilage of pharyngotympanic tube (Torus tubarius)
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Inner ear/
(membranous labyrinth,
bony labyrinth) |
Auditory system
Cochlear labyrinth
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General cochlea
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- Scala vestibuli
- Helicotrema
- Scala tympani
- Modiolus
- Cochlear cupula
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Perilymphatic space
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- Perilymph
- Cochlear aqueduct
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Cochlear duct /
scala media
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- Reissner's/vestibular membrane
- Basilar membrane
- Reticular membrane
- Endolymph
- Stria vascularis
- Spiral ligament
- Organ of Corti: Stereocilia
- Tectorial membrane
- Sulcus spiralis (externus, internus)
- Spiral limbus
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Cells
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- Claudius cell
- Boettcher cell
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Vestibular system/
Vestibular labyrinth
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- Static/translations/vestibule/endolymphatic duct: Utricle (Macula)
- Saccule (Macula, Endolymphatic sac)
- Kinocilium
- Otolith
- Vestibular aqueduct
- Canalis reuniens
- Kinetic/rotations: Semicircular canals (Superior, Posterior, Horizontal)
- Ampullary cupula
- Ampullae (Crista ampullaris)
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Muscles of head and neck: the head (TA A04.1, GA 4.378)
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Extraocular (CN III, IV, VI) |
- oblique
- rectus
- superior
- inferior
- medial
- lateral
- levator palpebrae superioris
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Mastication (CN V3) |
- masseter
- temporalis
- pterygoid
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fascia: |
- Masseteric fascia
- Temporal fascia
- Deep portion: cementomaxillary tendon
- Superficial portion: cementomandibular tendon
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Facial (CN VII) |
Ear |
- auricular
- anterior
- superior
- posterior
- temporoparietalis
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Scalp/eyelid |
- occipitofrontalis
- orbicularis oculi
- corrugator supercilii
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fascia: |
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Nose |
- procerus
- nasalis
- depressor septi nasi
- levator labii superioris alaeque nasi
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Mouth |
- levator anguli oris
- levator labii superioris
- zygomaticus
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- orbicularis oris
- risorius
- buccinator
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- depressor anguli oris
- depressor labii inferioris
- mentalis
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Palate/fauces (CN IX, X, XI)
(except TVP = V3) |
- veli palatini
- musculus uvulae
- palatopharyngeus (to pharynx)
- palatoglossus (to tongue)
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Tongue (CN XII) |
- extrinsic
- genioglossus
- hyoglossus/chondroglossus
- styloglossus
- and palatoglossus [CN X]
- intrinsic
- superior longitudinal
- inferior longitudinal
- transverse
- vertical
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anat (h/n, u, t/d, a/p, l)/phys/devp/hist
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noco (m, s, c)/cong (d)/tumr, sysi/epon, injr
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