Levator Veli Palatini (Musculus levator veli palatini)
Educational content only — not medical advice.
Anatomy
The levator veli palatini is a thick cylindrical muscle situated in the lateral wall of the nasopharynx. Arising from the petrous temporal bone near its apex and the cartilaginous auditory tube, it passes inferomedially beneath the tube orifice to enter the soft palate and blend with the contralateral muscle. It is the primary dynamic elevator of the soft palate in velopharyngeal closure.
Origin & insertion
From the inferior surface of the apex of the petrous temporal bone and cartilaginous auditory tube to the palatine aponeurosis, meeting the contralateral muscle in the median raphe.
Action
Elevates the soft palate posterosuperiorly against the posterior pharyngeal wall, preventing food and liquids from regurgitating into the nasopharynx.
Innervation
Pharyngeal branch of the vagus nerve (cranial nerve X) via the pharyngeal plexus.
Clinical notes
In unilateral vagus nerve lesions, the soft palate fails to elevate on the affected side upon phonation, causing the uvula to deviate toward the healthy contralateral side.
Related structures
Educational references
FAQ
What is the role of the Levator Veli Palatini?
The levator veli palatini is a thick cylindrical muscle situated in the lateral wall of the nasopharynx. Arising from the petrous temporal bone near its apex and the cartilaginous auditory tube, it passes inferomedially beneath the tube orifice to enter the soft palate and blend with the contralateral muscle. It is the primary dynamic elevator of the soft palate in velopharyngeal closure.
Why is the Levator Veli Palatini clinically important?
In unilateral vagus nerve lesions, the soft palate fails to elevate on the affected side upon phonation, causing the uvula to deviate toward the healthy contralateral side.
Source & license
BodyParts3D, © The Database Center for Life Science licensed under CC Attribution 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). license details