Corpus: Tympanic muscle
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This text has been translated by an AI and may sound raw. It will be reviewed shortly. Thank you for your patience!
from Latin: musculus - muscle, little mouse; from Greek: τύμπανον ("tympanon") - gable
Synonyms: tympanic muscle, tympanic tension muscle
English: , Eustachian muscle
Definition[Bearbeiten]
The tensor tympani muscle is one of the middle ear muscles that play an important role in the hearing process.
Anatomy[Bearbeiten]
The tensor tympani muscle runs through the middle ear. It originates at the cartilage of the auditory tube (Tuba auditiva) above the tube opening (Ostium tympanicum tubae auditivae), is deflected laterally at the processus cochleariformis and attaches to the handle of the malleus.
Innervation[Bearbeiten]
Innervation takes place via the tensor tympanic nerve, a branch of the mandibular nerve (V3).
Blood supply[Bearbeiten]
The tensor tympani muscle is supplied by the superior tympanic artery from the middle meningeal artery.
Embryology[Bearbeiten]
The muscle anlage for the tensor tympani muscle originates from the 1st gill arch.
Physiology[Bearbeiten]
The tensor tympani muscle pulls the malleus medially and thereby tensions the eardrum. This tension increases the reflection of sound at the eardrum and less sound energy is transmitted to the ossicular chain. This mechanism protects the inner ear from excessive sound pressure. However, as the reaction time of the muscle is relatively slow, the reflex does not guarantee protection against sudden loud noises such as gunshots or explosions.