Lateral cricoarytenoid
Head & throat
Deep muscle — it lies under other muscles. X-ray makes the muscles over it see-through.
- Origin
- Upper border of the arch of the cricoid cartilage
- Insertion
- Muscular process of the arytenoid cartilage
- Action
- Closes the glottis by bringing the vocal folds together
- Nerve supply
- Recurrent laryngeal nerve (CN X)
It rotates the arytenoid cartilages inward so that the vocal folds meet, which is needed both for producing voice and for closing the airway.
Lateral cricoarytenoid anatomy page →