Head and neck muscles (chewing, facial, and throat muscles)

Occipitalis (occipital muscle)

Musculus occipitalis (venter occipitalis van de m. occipitofrontalis)

Origin

Highest nuchal line of the occipital bone and the mastoid part of the temporal bone

Insertion

Galea aponeurotica (epicranial aponeurosis)

Function

Pulls the scalp and the galea aponeurotica backward; works together with frontalis to move the scalp

Innervation

Posterior auricular branch of the facial nerve (CN VII)

Movement & chain

Pulls the galea aponeurotica and thereby the scalp backward; works together with frontalis in the mimetic movement of the scalp.

Palpation

Difficult to isolate from the surrounding neck musculature, but roughly palpable at the level of the highest nuchal line when the scalp is actively pulled backward.

Clinical

Lies close to the course of the greater occipital nerve, which passes upward through the muscle and neck fascia in this region and can be involved in occipital neuralgia or cervicogenic headache.

Segmental innervation

CN VII, motor (cranial nerve, no spinal segment).

In clinical practice

The highest nuchal line, the origin of this muscle, serves as a landmark for locating the greater occipital nerve for an occipital nerve block.

Region in the model

Head and neck muscles (chewing, facial, and throat muscles)