Lateral cricoarytenoid muscle

Lateral cricoarytenoid
Muscles of larynx. Side view. Right lamina of thyroid cartilage removed.
Details
Origin	lateral part of the arch of the cricoid
Insertion	muscular process of the arytenoid cartilage
Nerve	recurrent laryngeal branch of the vagus
Actions	adduct and medially rotate the cartilage, pulling the vocal ligaments towards the midline and backwards and so closing off the rima glottidis
Antagonist	Posterior cricoarytenoid muscle
Identifiers
Latin	Musculus cricoarytaenoideus lateralis
TA	A06.2.08.006
FMA	46579
Anatomical terms of muscle []

The lateral cricoarytenoid (also anterior cricoarytenoid) muscles extend from the lateral cricoid cartilage to the muscular process of the arytenoid cartilage. By rotating the arytenoid cartilages medially, these muscles adduct the vocal cords and thereby close the rima glottidis, protecting the airway. (Their action is antagonistic to that of the posterior cricoarytenoid muscles.) The lateral cricoarytenoid muscles receive innervation from the recurrent laryngeal branch of the vagus nerve (CN X).

Muscles of the larynx, seen from above.