The morphology of musculus uvulae

Abstract

The morphology of the musculus uvulae was studied utilizing detailed gross anatomical dissection and histological sectioning of the soft palate in seven adult human cadavers. The results indicated that the musculus uvulae is paired as previously described in most anatomy texts. Each bundle takes origin lateral to the midline from the tendinous palatal aponeurosis posterior to the hard palate and just anterior to the insertion of the levator veli palatini muscle. The two bundles converge in an area overlying the sling of the levator muscle and course along the dorsum of the soft palate terminating as two separate bundles which subdivide and insert between the mucous glands of the uvula proper into the connective tissue and basement membrane of the mucosa. Becuase of its location and size, it appears that contraction of the musculus uvulae would add bulk to the dorsal surface of the elvated soft palate thus aiding in occlusion of the velophryngeal portal during speech and deglutition.