The correct spelling of the word for a muscle located in the neck is "cricothyreoideus." Its IPA phonetic transcription is /ˌkrɪkoʊθaɪrˈɔɪdiəs/. The first part of the word, "crico," refers to the cricoid cartilage, which is a structure in the larynx, and the second part, "thyreoideus," refers to the thyroid gland. The sound /k/ represents the first letter, "c," and the sound /aɪ/ represents the combination of "th" and "y." The spelling of this word may seem daunting, but is useful for medical professionals in describing anatomical structures with precision.
The cricothyreoideus, also known as the cricothyroid muscle, is a crucial muscle located in the human neck. It is named after its attachment points, the cricoid and thyroid cartilages in the larynx. As one of the intrinsic muscles of the larynx, it plays a significant role in voice production and modulation.
The cricothyreoideus muscle consists of two main components, the pars recta and the pars oblique. The pars recta is a vertical part that arises from the anterior surface of the cricoid cartilage, while the pars oblique is a withstanding band that extends from the cricoid arch to the inferior horn of the thyroid cartilage. These two parts converge at the oblique line, then ascend to the inferior margin of the thyroid cartilage.
Functionally, the cricothyreoideus muscle is responsible for tensing the vocal cords, thereby increasing the pitch of the voice. When the muscle contracts, the distance between the cricoid and thyroid cartilages narrows, causing the vocal cords to stretch and elongate. Consequently, this increases the tension and the extent of vibration within the vocal cords, allowing for a higher-pitched sound.
In summary, the cricothyreoideus muscle is an intrinsic part of the larynx that aids in voice modulation. Its contraction results in the tightening of vocal cords, facilitating the production of higher-pitched sounds.
The cricothyroid muscle, see musculus.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
The word "cricothyreoideus" is derived from two Latin roots: "cricothyroid" and "-eus".
The root "cricothyroid" comes from the words "cricus" and "thyreoideus". "Cricus" refers to the cricoid cartilage, which is a ring-shaped cartilage in the larynx or voice box. "Thyreoideus" refers to the thyroid, which is a butterfly-shaped gland located in the neck.
The ending "-eus" is a suffix often used in anatomy to denote muscle. Therefore, "cricothyreoideus" is a combination of the roots referring to the cricoid cartilage and the thyroid, along with the suffix indicating it is a muscle.