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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2017 Nov 1.
Published in final edited form as: Metabolism. 2016 Sep 2;65(11):1657–1663. doi: 10.1016/j.metabol.2016.08.008

Figure 1.

Figure 1

(A) The pharynx extends from the soft palate to the base of the epiglottis. The hyoid bone sits at the tongue base and is anchored by muscles and ligaments but does not articulate with other bones. (B) In obesity, tongue enlargement due to fat infiltration narrows the upper airway and displaces the hyoid caudally. The epiglottis follows the hyoid due to their connection via the hyoepiglottic ligament. Caudal displacement of the hyoid and epiglottis (*) leads to an increase in pharyngeal length (curved arrow). A longer pharynx is more collapsible, which predisposes to obstructive sleep apnea.