Soft Palate

BACK TO ALIMENTARY - ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY BACK TO ORAL CAVITY - ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

Introduction

The soft palate (velum palatine) is located caudally to the hard palate. It is comprised of muscle and is involved in tasting food and in deglutition.

Functional Anatomy

• Muscle

• Contacts epiglottis caudally

• Very folded mucosa

Histology

• Respiratory mucosa- ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium

• Palatine salivary glands

Musculature and Innervation

• Sensation and taste from glossopharyngeal (CN IX)

• Palatine muscle

   -Origin: hard palate transeverse ridges
   -Insertion: soft palate
   -Shortens palate
   -Major innervation from vagus nerve (CN X) and minor from glossopgaryngeal nerve (CN IX)

• Tensor velli palatini

   -Origin: near tympanic bulla on temporal bone
   -Insertion: lateral aponeurosis
   -Pharyngeal arch 1
   -Mandibular of trigeminal (CN V3)
   -Tenses soft palate

• Levator velli palatini

   -Origin: near tympanic bulla on temporal bone
   -Insertion: lateral aponeurosis
   -Raises soft palate
   -Major innervation from vagus nerve (CN X) and minor from glossopgaryngeal nerve (CN IX)

• Palatopharyngeus

   -closes palatopharyngeal arch and therefore lift soft palate
   -Major innervation from vagus nerve (CN X) and minor from glossopgaryngeal nerve (CN IX)

Species Differences

• Soft palate does not contact the epiglottis in the pig as the porcine soft palate is raised higher in the oral cavity than in other species

• Horses have a tight laryngeal cuff around the laryngeal entrance therefore cannot lift their soft palate for long periods of time and thus are nasal breathers

• As brachiocephalic dog breeds have a shortened skull length, the soft palate often obstruct air flow into the larynx causing breathing difficulties

• Birds lack a soft palate