How is the blood supply and innervation of the tongue organized?
The tongue is richly supplied with blood and nerves, essential for its diverse functions.
- Blood Supply: The primary blood supply to the tongue is from the lingual artery, a branch of the external carotid artery. The venous drainage is through the lingual vein. - Innervation: The tongue receives motor innervation from the hypoglossal nerve (cranial nerve XII), which controls the movement of the tongue muscles. Sensory innervation is provided by the lingual nerve (a branch of the mandibular nerve, cranial nerve V) for general sensation, and by the chorda tympani (a branch of the facial nerve, cranial nerve VII) and the glossopharyngeal nerve (cranial nerve IX) for taste sensation.
