| Cricothyroid muscle | |
|---|---|
 Muscles of larynx. Side view. Right lamina of thyroid cartilage removed. | |
 The ligaments of the larynx. Antero-lateral view. | |
| Details | |
| Origin | Anterior and lateral cricoid cartilage |
| Insertion | Inferior cornu and lamina of the thyroid cartilage |
| Nerve | External branch of superior laryngeal nerve (branch of the vagus nerve) |
| Actions | Tension and elongation of the vocal folds |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | musculus cricothyroideus |
| TA98 | A06.2.08.001 |
| TA2 | 2193 |
| FMA | 46417 |
| Anatomical terms of muscle | |
The cricothyroid muscle is the only tensor muscle of the larynx aiding with phonation. It is innervated by the superior laryngeal nerve. Its action tilts the thyroid forward to help tense the vocal cords, thus increasing the pitch of the voice.