Meaning & use
hypoglossal nerve
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountablemedical
The twelfth cranial nerve, which carries signals that make the tongue muscles move.
Grammar: Countable; usually with the: damage to the hypoglossal nerve.
Patterns
- damage to the hypoglossal nerve
Injury to the hypoglossal nerve can make the tongue deviate to one side.
The hypoglossal nerve helps with speech and swallowing.
A surgeon took care to protect the hypoglossal nerve.
Word forms
| plural | hypoglossal nerves |
|---|
Common combinations
- hypoglossal nerve palsy
- Hypoglossal nerve palsy weakens tongue movement.
- damage the hypoglossal nerve
- The surgery could damage the hypoglossal nerve.
- twelfth cranial nerve
- The hypoglossal nerve is the twelfth cranial nerve.
- hypoglossal nerve stimulation
- Hypoglossal nerve stimulation treats some sleep apnea.
Synonyms and how they differ
- cranial nerve XII
- The numbered anatomical name for the same nerve, common in clinical notes.
Word family
- hypoglossal adjective
- under the tongue; relating to this nerve
- glossal adjective
- relating to the tongue
Commonly confused: hypoglossal nerve or glossopharyngeal nerve?
hypoglossal nerve vs glossopharyngeal nerve
The glossopharyngeal nerve is the ninth cranial nerve, serving the throat and taste; the hypoglossal moves the tongue.
Practice
Which nerve mainly controls the movement of the tongue muscles?
Choose one answer.
The hypoglossal nerve drives tongue muscles. The optic nerve carries vision, the vagus serves organs and throat, and the facial nerve moves facial muscles.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “hypoglossal nerve”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.