science

Nasalis muscle

Nasalis muscle is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Nasalis muscle rather than just read about it. In short: The nasalis muscle is a sphincter-like muscle of the nose. It has a transverse part and an alar part.

Key takeaways

Nasalis muscle belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Nasalis muscle to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Nasalis muscle from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The nasalis muscle is a sphincter-like muscle of the nose. It has a transverse part and an alar part. It compresses the nasal cartilages, and can "flare" the nostrils. It can be used to test the facial nerve (VII), which supplies it.

Structure The nasalis muscle covers the nasal cartilages of the lower surface of the nose. It consists of two parts, transverse and alar:

The transverse part (compressor naris muscle) arises from the maxilla, above and lateral to the incisive fossa. Its fibers proceed upward and medially, expanding into a thin aponeurosis which is continuous on the bridge of the nose with that of the muscle of the opposite side, and with the aponeurosis of the procerus muscle. It compresses the nostrils and may completely close them. The alar part (dilator naris muscle) arises from the maxilla over the lateral incisor and inserts into the greater alar cartilage. Its medial fibres tend to blend with the depressor septi nasi muscle, and has been described as part of that muscle.

Nerve supply Like all the other muscles of facial expression, the nasalis muscle is supplied by the facial nerve (VII).

Function The nasalis muscle compresses the nasal cartilages. It may also "flare" the nostrils.

Clinical significance

Cleft lip and cleft palate The nasalis muscle is one of the key muscles not formed or inserted correctly with cleft lip and cleft palate deformity. The head of the transverse part needs to be identified during reconstructive surgery so that it can be surgically sutured (connected) to the nasal septum. The origin at the maxilla may also be repositioned for better symmetry.

Facial nerve testing Due to it being superficial, the nasalis muscle can be used to test the facial nerve. Specifically, it can be used to test the zygomatic branches.

Additional images

References

External links Interactive diagram at ivy-rose.co.uk

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Nasalis muscle

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Nasalis muscle claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Nasalis muscle before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Nasalis muscle ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Nasalis muscle

In research: Nasalis muscle appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Nasalis muscle in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Nasalis muscle is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Facial muscles, Human head and neck, Muscles of the head and neck, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Nasalis muscle outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Nasalis muscle in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Nasalis muscle means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Nasalis muscle out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Nasalis muscle in simple terms?

The nasalis muscle is a sphincter-like muscle of the nose. It has a transverse part and an alar part.

Why does Nasalis muscle matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Nasalis muscle?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Nasalis muscle.