Genioglossus muscle

The **Genioglossus muscle** is a thick, fan-shaped extrinsic muscle forming the bulk of the tongue, originating from the superior mental spine of the mandible and inserting into the body of the hyoid bone and the entire length of the dorsum of the tongue[1][5]. It is responsible for **protrusion** and **depression** of the tongue, important for movements such as sticking out the tongue, speaking, swallowing, and maintaining airway patency[1][3][5]. It is innervated by the **hypoglossal nerve** (cranial nerve XII)[1][5][6][7], and its blood supply comes from branches of the **lingual** and **facial arteries**[1][6][7]. Relaxation of this muscle is implicated in sleep-disordered breathing such as obstructive sleep apnea[5]. However, the Genioglossus muscle is an **anatomical structure** (skeletal muscle), not a molecular therapeutic target (like receptors, enzymes, transporters, etc.), and thus does **not fulfill the criteria** of a molecule/receptor target for drug discovery or pharmacological intervention. **Note:** - This entry is incorrect as a "target" in the sense of molecular or receptor pharmacology (it is not a biochemical target, but a muscle)[1][5]. - It does not have canonical molecular abbreviations or interact with drugs in the same context as molecular targets. - Functions, disease roles, and family classifications should be limited to anatomical and physiological; it does not participate as a biomolecular target.

Other names

Musculus genioglossusgenioglossus