A Newly Discovered Tendon Between the Genioglossus Muscle and Epiglottic Cartilage Identified by Histological Observation of the Pre-Epiglottic Space.
Kei Kitamura, Tae Watanabe, Masahito Yamamoto and 4 others
PMID 35678869WHAT IT FOUND
Dissection of 20 elderly cadavers identified a new tendon connecting the genioglossus muscle directly to the epiglottic cartilage.
This structure may explain how the tongue root moves the epiglottis during swallowing. The finding is anatomical and does not yet test clinical outcomes or rehabilitation techniques.
Key findings
01A previously undescribed tendon, named the glossoepiglottic tendon, connects the genioglossus muscle to the epiglottic cartilage.
02A slit exists between this new tendon and the hyoepiglottic ligament, potentially separating the movements of the genioglossus and geniohyoid muscles.
03The authors suggest this anatomy implies the genioglossus muscle function is important for dysphagia rehabilitation.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study was performed on cadavers, so it cannot demonstrate dynamic movement or physiological function in living patients. The sample consisted of elderly individuals (mean age 79 years), so findings may not apply to younger populations. The functional implications are hypotheses based on structure; no clinical outcomes were measured. Variability in epiglottis size and larynx position was noted between cadavers.
Declared interests
The study was funded by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan, and the Private University Research Branding Project from MEXT of Japan. No commercial conflicts of interest were reported.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume this anatomical finding proves that genioglossus exercises will improve swallowing. The study describes static structure in cadavers and does not test any intervention or measure clinical outcomes in patients.