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In humans, language is responsible for the sensation of taste, and besides, it is also involved in chewing food - but what are its other functions? How is the tongue built, what is its vascularization and innervation? What are the symptoms and symptoms of the tongue - for which language problems do I need to see a doctor?

Languageis one of the organs whose function we don't really think about. In fact, however, this organ has far more functions than one might imagine.

However, in order for the language to play its role properly, it is necessary that it has an appropriate structure - contrary to appearances, the structure of this small organ is quite complicated.

Language: exterior

The average human tongue, measured from the very beginning in the nasopharynx to the tip, is about 10 cm long.

The average weight of a tongue in men is 70 grams, in women it is 60 grams.

The tongue is made of striated muscles. It is covered with a mucosa. There are three parts within it:

  • root of the tongue (deepest in the mouth)
  • tongue
  • language end (vertex)

The base of the tongue from its shaft is separated by the so-called border furrow - it is V-shaped. Apart from it, on the upper surface of the tongue, there is also a median furrow of the tongue, which divides it into two parts - right and left.

In the dorsal part of the tongue there are clusters of lymphoid tissue that together form the lingual tonsil. In turn, on the lower surface of the tongue, the mucosa of the tongue forms a fold - it is the frenulum of the tongue, which attaches the organ to the bottom of the mouth.

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The mucosa that covers the top of the tongue is not uniform. There are numerous structures on it, the most important of which seems to be warts.

There are several types of them: the most numerous arethread-like warts , which perform a mechanical function (they take part in grinding and mixing food). In addition to them, there are alsosurrounding warts , leafy warts andwarts on the tonguemushroom- they also have a mechanical function, but also have taste buds, i.e. specialized receptor cells responsible for receiving taste stimuli.

In addition to the nipples, various lingual glands can also be found on the surface of the tongue. There are three types:

  • mucous glands
  • serous glands
  • mixed glands

At the end of the tongue, on both sides of the lower part of the tongue, there are anterior lingual glands - they are mixed glands. There are also serous glands (also called Ebner glands), located in the vicinity of the ventral and leafy papillae, as well as the posterior and lateral lingual glands (which are mucous glands).

Language: internal structure

Considering the above, it can be said that the structure of the language is quite complex. However, not only the external parts of this organ have a complicated structure - the same is true with the inside of the tongue.

In order for it to play its role fully efficiently, the tongue must be able to perform a large range of movements - it must, among other things, rise and fall, retract and extend, or flatten or narrow.

The tongue is able to perform various movements due to the fact that it is built by numerous muscles. They are divided in two ways: the external and internal muscles of the tongue.

The external muscles of the tongue are those which, on the one hand, end in the structures of this organ, and the other end elsewhere - e.g. in the area of ​​the mandible or the hyoid bone. This group includes:

  • chin-lingual muscle
  • hyoid lingual muscle
  • stylus-lingual muscle

The second group of muscles of the tongue are the internal muscles - here they are listed in turn:

  • upper oblong muscle
  • inferior oblong muscle
  • transverse muscle
  • vertical muscle

Language: vascularization and innervation

The most important arterial vessel that supplies the tongue is the branch of the external carotid artery - the lingual artery. Apart from it, arterial branches that vascularize the tongue also originate from the facial artery and the ascending pharyngeal artery.

As for the venous vascularization of the tongue, typically the veins correspond to the arteries - blood from the tongue is drained through the lingual vein to the jugular vein, and sometimes it is directed to the facial vein.

The innervation of the tongue is derived from several different cranial nerves. The muscles that make tongue movements are all innervated by the same nerve - the sublingual nerve.

The sensory innervation is a bit more complicatedlanguage. The taste stimuli from the front 2/3 of this structure are perceived via the tympanic cord (which is a branch of the facial nerve), and from the back 1/3 of the tongue the taste is felt with the participation of the pharyngeal lingual nerve.

The tongue is also innervated sensually by the branches of the lingual nerve (originating from the mandibular nerve), the superior laryngeal nerve, and by fibers originating directly from the vagus nerve.

Language: functions

One of the basic functions of language is the perception of taste stimuli. It is possible thanks to the presence of the aforementioned taste buds.

People can generally sense five different tastes: s alty, sweet, sour, and bitter and so-called. umami (difficult to define unequivocally - sometimes it is referred to as "meat", in other studies you can come across the characterization of umami as "broth").

In the past, it was believed that individual tastes are felt in specific parts of the language. However, this theory turned out to be incorrect, because in fact, each of the individual flavors can be perceived in any part of the taste organ.

Another, no less important function of language is participation in the processes related to food intake. The tongue not only has an impact on the grinding of food particles (which it does together with, for example, teeth), but also causes them to mix with saliva (which is very important, because some digestive enzymes are present in saliva).

In addition to those already mentioned, the tongue also supports swallowing food chewed in the mouth - it is thanks to its movements that the food moves towards the esophagus until it finally reaches the stomach.

Language also takes part in the formation of speech - some sounds (such as "g" or "k") can be uttered by us just because the language then moves in the right way.

The last of the language functions quoted here cannot be found in professional medical studies, although for many people it is simply quite important. We are talking about language here as an erogenous zone - after all, it is language that people use in various close body contacts.

Language: diseases

Like basically any other human organ, the tongue can be preoccupied with a variety of pathological processes. One of the most common problems is glossitis, manifested by e.g. its redness and pain when swallowing and eating.

The causes of this disease can be different - it can be caused by an infection, mechanical trauma of the tongue or iron deficiency anemia, vitamin deficiencyB12 or diabetes.

The whitish spots on the tongue may in turn be caused by the patient developing tinea (candidiasis). This infection can occur in any patient, but particularly predisposed to its occurrence are people from extreme age groups (we are talking about children and the elderly), as well as patients with reduced immunity (which can be the result of both HIV infection and and the effect of taking some immunosuppressive drugs).

A feeling of numbness and tingling in the tongue - in combination with a host of other ailments - may in turn be caused by Stinging Mouth Syndrome (stomatodynia). The problem with this unit is, above all, that it is not uncommon to detect any causes of its occurrence in the patient, in addition, unpleasant symptoms - mainly in the form of pain - may persist in the patient for many years.

In case the patient experiences unpleasant symptoms related to the tongue - e.g. pain, bleeding, limitation of tongue mobility or difficulty in swallowing - he should definitely see a doctor.

The visit to the doctor's office should not be postponed, especially when there are ulcers or various types of lumps on the tongue - it can even be cancer.

Cancer of the tongue develops mainly in middle-aged and elderly people, people who smoke and abuse alcohol are especially predisposed to it.

Due to the fact that there is a possibility of developing cancer of the tongue, with disturbing symptoms concerning this organ, you simply need to see a doctor. In the event that the patient reports to a specialist, the physician undertakes to differentiate the possible tumor with other possible diseases of the tongue. In addition to those already mentioned, the following can also develop within the language :

  • leukoplakia
  • lichen planus
  • herpes

In addition to the above, language-related pathologies also include macroglossia (tongue enlargement) and microglossia (this term is used to describe an extremely small language).

The tongue is also associated with halitosis (a very unpleasant smell from the mouth) - this problem may result from the accumulation of large amounts of bacteria and other impurities on the surface of the tongue.

At the very end, it is worth mentioning another problem, which is taste disturbance. There are several types of them and they can consist both in the complete abolition of the feeling of taste stimuli, but also in the fact that the patient will experience different tastes in a definitely increasedway.
Sources:

  1. DF du Toit, The tongue: structure and function relevant to disease and oral he alth, SADJ. 2003 Oct; 58 (9): 375-6, 380-3
  2. Zaidi, F. N. et al., (2013), Tongue Anatomy and Physiology, the Scientific Basis for a Novel Targeted Neurostimulation System Designed for the Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Neuromodulation: Technology at the Neural Interface, 16: 376-386
  3. Human anatomy. A textbook for students and doctors, ed. II and supplemented by W. Woźniak, ed. Urban & Partner, Wrocław 2010
  4. Interna Szczeklik 2016/2017, ed. P. Gajewski, publ. Practical Medicine
About the authorBow. Tomasz NęckiA graduate of medicine at the Medical University of Poznań. An admirer of the Polish sea (most willingly strolling along its shores with headphones in his ears), cats and books. In working with patients, he focuses on always listening to them and spending as much time as they need.

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Gastrology