Thyroarytenoid m

The thyroarytenoid m. runs parallel to the true vocal cords, just lateral and deep to the cords themselves, and has the same points of attachment as the vocal cords (thyroid eminence of the thyroid cartilage anteriorly, and the arytenoid cartilages posteriorly).  It is innervated by the recurrent laryngeal n. (a branch of the vagus n.), and functions to reduce tension in the vocal cords, and thereby decrease the pitch of the voice.