Adam's apple: Encyclopedia - Adam's apple

Adam's apple

The human larynx rests in a frame of cartilage bound by ligaments and muscles. At the front is the thyroid cartilage, creating the lump at the front of the neck, known as the laryngeal prominence or more commonly as the Adam's apple.

The etymology of the term "Adam's apple" is unclear: Webster's 1913 dictionary states that the term "... is so called from a notion that it was caused by the forbidden fruit, (an apple) sticking in the throat of our first parent."

The larynx grows during puberty in males much more than in females, and as a result the Adam's apple is typically more prominent in adult men than in women or pre-pubescent girls or boys. This growth of the larynx is also the reason for the voice breaking in teenage boys.

For some transwomen, the Adam's apple remains more prominent than desired, and this is sometimes remedied by a trachea shave, a type of plastic surgery to reduce the size of the Adam's apple.

The thyroid cartilage is the largest of the nine cartilages that make up the laryngeal skeleton, the cartilage structure in and around the trachea that contains the larynx. It is composed of two platelike laminae that come together on the anterior side of the cartilage to form a peak, called the laryngeal prominence. This prominence is often referred to as the "Adam's Apple". The laryngeal prominence is obvious in both sexes, but it tends to be somewhat more robust in the adult male. The lip of the thyroid cartilage just superior to the laryngeal prominence is called the thyroid notch or superior thyroid notch.

The two laminae that make up the main lateral surfaces of the thyroid cartilage extend obliquely to cover either side of the trachea. The posterior edge of each lamina articulates with the cricoid cartilage inferiorly at a joint called the cricothyroid joint. Movement of the cartilage at this joint produces a change in tension at the vocal folds, which in turn produces variation in voice. The entire superior edge of the thyroid cartilage is attached to the hyoid bone by the thyroid membrane.

The thyroid cartilage serves to protect the larynx, which is located directly behind it. It also serves as an attachment for several laryngeal muscles.

HEAD: Forehead – Eye – Ear – Nose – Mouth – Tongue – Teeth – Jaw – Face – Cheek – Chin

NECK: Throat – Adam's apple

TORSO: Shoulders – Spine – Chest – Breast – Ribcage – Abdomen– Belly button

LIMBS: Arm – Elbow – Wrist – Hand – Finger – Thumb – Leg – Lap – Thigh – Knee – Calf – Heel – Ankle – Foot – Toe

SKIN: Hair

Categories: Human anatomy | Eponymous anatomical structures | Secondary sexual characteristics | Head and neck

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Adam's apple", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki