Anatomical Terms of Direction
This anatomical term means toward the midline of the body.
What is Medial?
Commonly called the Adam’s apple, I am the largest cartilage of the larynx. What am I?
What is the Thyroid cartilage?
The brain and spinal cord together form this major division of the nervous system.
What is the Central Nervous System (CNS)?
When you pucker your lips, this muscle closes and rounds the mouth. What am I?
What is the orbicularis oris?
What are the three bones that form the ossicular chain in the middle ear?
What are the Malleus, Incus, and Stapes?
This anatomical term refers to a body part farther away from the center of the body (the trunk) or the point of attachment.
What is Distal?
This complete ring of cartilage lies directly inferior to the thyroid cartilage. What am I?
What is Cricoid cartilage?
These specialized cells receive, process, and transmit nerve impulses.
What are Neurons?
This cheek muscle helps keep food between your teeth while you chew. What am I?
What is the buccinator?
These two middle-ear muscles reduce or dampen ossicular vibration.
What are the Stapedius and Tensor tympani?
This anatomical term refers to a structure that is located on the same side of the body
What is Ipsilateral?
This leaf-shaped flap of elastic cartilage helps cover the opening of the larynx during swallowing, keeping food out of your windpipe. What am I?
What is the Epiglottis?
This region is primarily associated with speech production and motor planning for language.
What is Broca’s area?
By pulling the corners of your mouth upward and outward, this muscle helps create a broad smile. What am I?
What is the zygomatic major?
This snail-shaped inner-ear structure is the primary organ of hearing.
What is the Cochlea?
This anatomical term means on the opposite side of the body.
What is Contralateral?
This paired laryngeal muscle opens the vocal folds for breathing and is the only laryngeal muscle that abducts them. What am I?
What is the Posterior cricoarytenoid?
This region is primarily associated with language comprehension.
What is Wernicke’s area?
As the largest tongue muscle, this muscle helps protrude the tongue and can also pull it downward. What am I?
What is the genioglossus?
This cranial nerve carries hearing and balance information from the inner ear.
What is the Vestibulocochlear nerve, CN VIII?
This anatomical term means closer to, or at, the body’s surface.
What is Superficial/External?
Attached to the vocal folds, these paired pyramid-shaped cartilages pivot to help open and close the vocal folds during speaking and breathing. What are they?
What are the arytenoid cartilages?
This cranial nerve controls many muscles of the palate, pharynx, and larynx.
What is the Vagus nerve, CN X
This muscle raises the soft palate during speech and swallowing, helping close off the nasal cavity. What am I?
What is the levator veli palatini?
Unlike the scala vestibuli and scala tympani, which contain perilymph, the scala media contains this fluid.
What is endolymph?