Levator veli palatini

Levator veli palatini
Dissection of the muscles of the palate from behind. (Caption for Levator veli palatini visible at right, second from the top.)
External and middle ear, opened from the front. Right side. (Levator veli palatini visible at bottom right.)
Details
Origin	temporal bone, Eustachian tube
Insertion	palatine aponeurosis
Artery	facial artery
Nerve	Pharyngeal Branch of Vagus (CN X)
Actions	elevates soft palate
Identifiers
Latin	musculus levator veli palatini
Dorlands /Elsevier	m_22/12549638
TA	A05.2.01.102
FMA	46727
Anatomical terms of muscle []

The levator veli palatini (/lᵻˈveɪtər ˈviːlaɪ ˌpæləˈtaɪnaɪ/) is the elevator muscle of the soft palate in the human body. During swallowing, it contracts, elevating the soft palate to help prevent food from entering the nasopharynx. It is innervated via the pharyngeal plexus, primarily by the pharyngeal branch of the vagus nerve (CN X).

The levator veli palatini (Levator palati) is a thick, rounded muscle situated lateral to the choanæ.

It arises from the under surface of the apex of the petrous part of the temporal bone and from the medial lamina of the cartilage of the auditory tube.

After passing above the upper concave margin of the superior pharyngeal constrictor muscle it spreads out in the palatine velum, its fibers extending obliquely downward and medially to the middle line, where they blend with those of the opposite side.