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Biomechanics and Evolution of the Primate Tongue.

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Updated: Jan 13, 2026

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Primate Swallowing Is Powered by Both Rotation and Contraction of Suprahyoid Muscles.

Courtney P Orsbon1,2, Nicholas J Gidmark2,3, Callum F Ross2

  • 1Department of Radiology, University of Washington Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA.

American Journal of Biological Anthropology
|January 10, 2026
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Swallowing biomechanics in macaques reveal suprahyoid muscles drive hyoid movement via a hydraulic mechanism. Muscle rotation and geometry are key to efficient tongue base retraction, impacting primate and human swallowing evolution.

Keywords:
EMGXROMMdeglutitiondiceCTfeedingmacaquemammalstongue base retraction

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Area of Science:

  • Biomechanics
  • Primate anatomy
  • Swallowing physiology

Background:

  • Swallowing biomechanics in mammals, particularly the role of hyoid bone movement, remain incompletely understood.
  • The hydraulic mechanism hypothesis for tongue base retraction in macaques, involving hyoid elevation and protraction, requires experimental validation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To experimentally investigate the musculoskeletal mechanisms responsible for hyoid elevation and protraction during swallowing in macaque primates.
  • To elucidate the role of suprahyoid and lingual muscles in driving hyoid kinematics.

Main Methods:

  • Integration of X-ray Reconstruction of Moving Panoramas (XROMM) for detailed kinematic analysis of the mandible, cranium, and hyolingual structures.
  • Simultaneous electromyography (EMG) of suprahyoid and lingual muscles to assess muscle activation patterns during swallowing.

Main Results:

  • Suprahyoid muscles exhibit rotation during swallowing and tongue base retraction.
  • Hyoid elevation and protraction are primarily powered by the concentric activation and rotation of posterior mylohyoid and digastric muscles.
  • Geniohyoid muscle shows concentric activation following the initial hyoid movements, while genioglossus is active early in the swallowing sequence.

Conclusions:

  • The morphology, function, and coordinated action of suprahyoid and lingual muscles are critical for effective swallowing in macaques and likely humans.
  • Primate hyolingual muscle function is significantly influenced by hyoid posture and muscle geometry due to muscle rotation, with implications for evolutionary studies of swallowing.
  • Architectural gear ratios and pulley systems optimize hyoid elevation velocity and protraction force, essential for the hydraulic mechanism of tongue base retraction.