Tongue
A strong muscle that is anchored to the floor of the mouth. The tongue is covered by the lingual membrane, which has special areas to detect different types of tastes. The tongue muscles are attached to the lower jaw and to the hyoid bone, a small, U-shaped bone that lies deep in the muscles at the back of the tongue and above the larynx. On the top surface of the tongue are small nodules, called papillae, that give the tongue its rough texture. Between the papillae, at the sides and base of the tongue, are the taste buds, which are small bulb-like structures. The muscle fibers of the tongue are heavily supplied with nerves. Babies have more taste buds than adults, and they have them almost everywhere in the mouth, including the cheeks. The tongue aids in the formation of the sounds of speech and aids in swallowing.
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Malignancy of the tongue; squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue. Risk factors include smoking tobacco, smokeless tobacco, heavy alcohol intake, and dentures. Tongue cancer usually occurs after the age of 40, with men affected more than women. Tongue cancer is divided into that on the anterior tongue and that at the base of the tongue. […]
- Tongue tie
A minor congenital anomaly in which the flap of mucous membrane under the tongue (known as the frenulum) is unusually short and limits somewhat the mobility of the tongue. The name tongue tie reflects the unfounded folk belief that with this condition, a child cannot feed or speak properly because the tongue is ‘tied.’ The […]
- Tonometry
A standard eye test that is done to determine the fluid pressure inside the eye. Increased pressure is a possible sign of glaucoma, a common and potentially very serious problem if not detected and treated promptly. The pressure inside the eye is measured from the outside. In most cases, the pressure can be measured without […]
- Tonotopic
Pertaining to the spatial arrangement of where sound is perceived, transmitted, or received. There is tonotopy in the cochlea, the small snail-like structure in the inner ear that sends information about sound to the brain. There is also tonotopy in the human auditory cortex, that part of the brain that receives and interprets sound information. […]
- Tonotopy
The spatial arrangement of where sound is perceived, transmitted, or received. There is tonotopy in the cochlea, the small snail-like structure in the inner ear that sends information about sound to the brain. There is also tonotopy in the human auditory cortex, that part of the brain that receives and interprets sound information. From tono- […]