Quick Facts
Origin: Inferior surface of petrous part of temporal bone and cartilaginous portion of auditory tube.
Insertion: Palatine aponeurosis.
Action: Elevates and retracts soft palate.
Innervation: Pharyngeal plexus (CN X).
Arterial Supply: Ascending palatine and greater palatine arteries.
Related parts of the anatomy
Origin
The levator veli palatini muscle originates as a small tendon on the medial portion of the inferior surface of the petrous part of the temporal bone. Additionally, some fibers may originate from the inferior portion of the cartilaginous portion of the auditory (pharyngotympanic or Eustachian) tube and/or from the vaginal process of the sphenoid bone (Standring, 2016).
Insertion
The levator veli palatini muscle inserts into the upper palatine aponeurosis and extends as far as the midline where its fibers interdigitate with its contralateral fellow.
Actions
The levator veli palatini muscle elevates and retracts the vertical portion of the posterior soft palate. It can also pull on the lateral nasopharyngeal walls and move them in a posterior and medial direction, thus narrowing the nasopharyngeal space (Standring, 2016).
References
Standring, S. (2016) Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice. Gray's Anatomy Series 41st edn.: Elsevier Limited.
Learn more about this topic from other Elsevier products
Levator Veli Palatini
The levator veli palatini muscle is aberrantly oriented in the sagittal vector in the soft palate, and has abnormal attachments to the posterior medial aspect of the hard palate, the aponeurosis of the tensor veli palatini, and the superior pharyngeal constrictor.
