Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 4, 2026

In Vivo Evaluation of the Mechanical and Viscoelastic Properties of the Rat Tongue
Published on: July 6, 2017
[Course of the hypoglossal nerve in tongue musculature]
G Scheiderbauer1, A Pomaroli, R Emshoff
1Universitätsklinik für Mund-, Kiefer- und Gesichtschirurgie, Universität Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, A-6020 Innsbruck, Osterreich. christoph.scheiderbauer@uibk.ac.at
Background:
The main trunk of the hypoglossal nerve enters the tongue body anterior to the hypoglossal muscle and runs in a medial direction.
Results:
Close to the lingual septum, the nerve changes its direction to a superior path and in a second change to an anterior path. The terminal branches disperse in the apical part of the tongue. To avoid injury of the hypoglossal nerve during surgical procedures within the body of the tongue, two fingerbreadth areas should be preserved. The first area lies in a vertical direction, from the entry of the nerve up to the longitudinal superior and inferior muscles. The second area extends from here in an anterior direction up to the lingual apex.
Related Concept Videos
Cranial Nerves: Types Part II
Facial Nerve (Cranial Nerve VII)
Cranial nerve VII, or the facial nerve,...
Tongue
Anatomical Position in the Oral Cavity
The tongue is located within the oral cavity, also known as the mouth. It is attached to the floor of the mouth by a fold of mucous membrane called the...
The Hyoid Bone
Deglutition
Swallowing can be divided into three stages: the voluntary phase, the pharyngeal phase, and the esophageal phase. Although the...
Brainstem
The Midbrain
The midbrain is located beneath the diencephalon and connects the cerebrum with the lower parts of the brain. The cerebral peduncles are prominent midbrain structures that house the...
Cranial Nerves: Overview and Anatomy

