A mental spine is a small projection of bone on the posterior aspect of the mandible (jaw bone) in the midline. There are usually four mental spines: two superior and two inferior. Collectively they are also known as the genial tubercle, genial apophysis and the Latin name spinae mentalis. The inferior mental spines are the points of origin of the geniohyoid muscle, one of the suprahyoid muscles and the superior mental spines are the origin of the genioglossus muscle, one of the muscles of the tongue.
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Famous quotes containing the words mental and/or spine:
“Or as, when an underground train, in the tube, stops too long between stations
And the conversation rises and slowly fades into silence
And you see behind every face the mental emptiness deepen
Leaving only the growing terror of nothing to think about....”
—T.S. (Thomas Stearns)
“Much of a man’s character will be found betokened in his backbone. I would rather feel your spine than your skull, whoever you are. A thin joist of a spine never yet upheld a full and noble soul.”
—Herman Melville (1819–1891)