Definition

1. Noun:
   • The twelfth cranial nerve: The hypoglossal is a motor nerve that originates in the medulla oblongata and controls the movements of the tongue muscles.

Usage

• The word "hypoglossal" is primarily used in medical, anatomical, and neurological contexts to refer to the specific cranial nerve.
• It functions as a noun, often preceded by "the" (e.g., ).

Examples

• Noun:
  • Damage to the hypoglossal can cause difficulty in speech and swallowing.
  • The surgeon carefully avoided the hypoglossal during the procedure.

Advanced Usage

• "Hypoglossal nucleus": Refers to the cluster of neurons in the medulla oblongata where the hypoglossal nerve originates.
  • The lesion was localized to the hypoglossal nucleus.
• "Hypoglossal canal": The bony opening in the occipital bone through which the nerve passes.
  • The hypoglossal canal was clearly visible on the scan.

Variants and Related Words

• Hypoglossal nerve (n phrase): The full anatomical term for the nerve.
  • The hypoglossal nerve innervates the genioglossus muscle.
• Hypoglossal (adj): Pertaining to the region beneath the tongue. (Note: This adjectival use is less common than the noun form referring to the nerve).
  • The hypoglossal region was inflamed.

Synonyms

• Cranial nerve XII: The numerical designation for the hypoglossal nerve.
• Twelfth cranial nerve: A descriptive synonym.

Related Phrases

• Hypoglossal palsy/paralysis: A condition resulting from impaired function of the hypoglossal nerve.
  • The patient presented with hypoglossal palsy, evident by tongue deviation.

Noun

1. supplies intrinsic muscles of the tongue and other tongue muscles