Corpus: Stylohyoid muscle

The stylohyoid muscle is a slender skeletal muscle located in the transition area between the head and neck, and it is part of the suprahyoid musculature.

The stylohyoid muscle originates from the styloid process of the temporal bone and attaches to the body and the greater horn (cornu majus) of the hyoid bone. Some sources also describe attachment to the lesser horn (cornu minus). The attachment tendon of the stylohyoid muscle splits into two branches near its end, which encircle the intermediate tendon of the digastric muscle.

The stylohyoid muscle is innervated by the facial nerve (cranial nerve VII), which sends a stylohyoid branch to the muscle.

The stylohyoid muscle pulls the hyoid bone in a backward and upward (dorsal-cranial) direction. Through the coordinated action of the suprahyoid and infrahyoid muscles, the hyoid bone is positioned appropriately during activities such as swallowing, and the tension of the floor of the mouth is regulated. The stylohyoid muscle also plays a role in opening the jaw.