HYPOGLOSSAL NERVE

COURSE
SHANZAY WAZIR
INTRODUCTION TO HYPOGLOSSAL
NERVE
• 12th paired cranial nerve
• It has a purely somatic motor function, innervating all intrinsic muscles:
Superior longitudinal
Inferior longitudinal
Transverse muscles
Vertical muscles
• and extrinsic muscles of the
tongue genioglossus, hyoglossus, styloglossus EXCEPT the
palatoglossus which is innervated by the vagus nerve
ANATOMICAL COURSE
• arises from the hypoglossal nucleus in the medulla oblongata of the
brainstem.
• It then passes laterally across the posterior cranial fossa, within the
subarachnoid space.
• The nerve exits the cranium via the hypoglossal canal to supply muscles of
the tongue
• Now extracranially : the nerve receives a branch of the cervical plexus that
conducts fibres from C1/C2 spinal nerve roots. These nerves do not combine
with the nerve, they just travel within its sheath. The c1/c2 fibres have a
motor function. They branch off to innervate the geniohyoid (elevates the
hyoid bone) and thyrohyoid (depresses the hyoid bone) muscles. Another
branch containing c1/c2 fibres supply the ansa cervicalis ( a loop of nerves
that is part of the cervical plexus)
• From the ansa cervicalis,
nerves arise to innervate
the omohyoid, sternohyoid
and sternothyroid muscles.
These muscles all act to
depress the hyoid bone.