Posterior auricular nerve

Posterior Auricular Nerve
Plan of the facial and intermediate nerves and their communication with other nerves. (Post. auricular br. labeled at bottom left.)
The nerves of the scalp, face, and side of neck. (Post. auricular visible near center, behind ear.)
Details
Fromfacial nerve
Innervatesposterior auricular muscle, occipitalis muscle (posterior part of occipitofrontalis)
Identifiers
Latinn. auricularis posterior
TA98A14.2.01.102
TA26295
FMA53278
Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy

The posterior auricular nerve is a nerve of the head. It is a branch of the facial nerve (CN VII). It communicates with branches from the vagus nerve, the great auricular nerve, and the lesser occipital nerve. Its auricular branch supplies the posterior auricular muscle, the intrinsic muscles of the auricle, and gives sensation to the auricle. Its occipital branch supplies the occipitalis muscle.

Structure

The posterior auricular nerve arises from the facial nerve (CN VII).[1] It is the first branch outside of the skull.[2] This origin is close to the stylomastoid foramen. It runs upward in front of the mastoid process. It is joined by a branch from the auricular branch of the vagus nerve (CN X). It communicates with the posterior branch of the great auricular nerve, as well as with the lesser occipital nerve.

As it ascends between the external acoustic meatus and mastoid process it divides into auricular and occipital branches.

Function

The posterior auricular nerve supplies the posterior auricular muscle, and the intrinsic muscles of the auricle.[1] It gives sensation to the auricle.[1] It also supplies the occipitalis muscle.[1]

Clinical significance

Nerve testing

The posterior auricular nerve can be tested by contraction of the occipitalis muscle, and by sensation in the auricle.[1] This testing is rarely performed.[1]

Biopsy

The posterior auricular nerve can be biopsied.[3] This can be used to test for leprosy, which can be important in diagnosis.[3]

See also

References

Public domain This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 905 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Rea, Paul (2016). "2 - Head". Essential Clinically Applied Anatomy of the Peripheral Nervous System in the Head and Neck. Academic Press. pp. 21–130. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-803633-4.00002-8. ISBN 978-0-12-803633-4.
  2. ↑ Townley, William (2017). "50 - Immediate Facial Nerve Reconstruction Following Iatrogenic Injuries". Maxillofacial Surgery. Vol. 1 (3rd ed.). Churchill Livingstone. pp. 707–713. doi:10.1016/B978-0-7020-6056-4.00051-4. ISBN 978-0-7020-6056-4.
  3. 1 2 de Freitas, Marcos R. G.; Said, Gérard (2013). "28 - Leprous neuropathy". Handbook of Clinical Neurology. Vol. 115. Elsevier. pp. 499–514. doi:10.1016/B978-0-444-52902-2.00028-X. ISBN 978-0-444-52902-2. ISSN 0072-9752.
This article is issued from Offline. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.