hypoglossal nerve

hypoglossal nerve definition - medical

hypoglossal nerve

noun
Either of a pair of nerves that arise from the medulla, pass through the hypoglossal canal, and supply muscles of the tongue and the styloglossus, hyoglossus, and genioglossus muscles. Also called twelfth cranial nerve.

The American Heritage® Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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