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Lateral Cricoarytenoid Muscle
Muscular System

Lateral Cricoarytenoid Muscle

Musculus cricoarytendoideus lateralis

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Quick Facts

Origin: Superior margin of cricoid arch.

Insertion: Muscular process of arytenoid cartilage.

Action: Adducts vocal folds.

Innervation: Recurrent laryngeal nerve (CN X).

Arterial Supply: Superior and inferior thyroid arteries.

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Origin

The lateral cricoarytenoid muscle attaches to the superior margin of cricoid arch.

Insertion

The fibers of the lateral cricoarytenoid muscle run posteriorly in an oblique direction and insert into muscular process of the arytenoid cartilage.

Actions

The lateral cricoarytenoid muscle rotates the arytenoid cartilage medially, which adducts the vocal folds. Adduction of the vocal folds causes shortening and relaxation of the vocal folds (Standring, 2016).

References

Standring, S. (2016) Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice. Gray's Anatomy Series 41st edn.: Elsevier Limited.

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