Supratrochlear nerve

In human cranial neuroanatomy, the supratrochlear nerve is a branch of the frontal nerve, which itself comes from the ophthalmic division of the trigeminal (or fifth) cranial nerve. It is smaller than the nearby supraorbital nerve. It passes above the pulley of the superior oblique muscle, and gives off a descending filament that joins the infratrochlear branch of the nasociliary nerve.

Supratrochlear nerve
Sensory areas of the head, showing the general distribution of the three divisions of the fifth nerve. (Supratrochlear nerve labeled at upper left.)
Nerves of the orbit. Seen from above. (Supratrochlear nerve visible near top.)
Details
FromFrontal nerve
Identifiers
Latinnervus supratrochlearis
TAA14.2.01.024
FMA52642
Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy

The supratrochlear nerve then exits the orbit between the pulley of the superior oblique and the supraorbital foramen, curves up on to the forehead close to the bone, and ascends beneath the corrugator supercilii and frontalis muscles. It then divides into branches which pierce these muscles and supplies the following areas:

Etymology

Supratrochlear means "above the trochlea". The term trochlea means "pulley" in Latin. Specifically, the trochlea referred to is a loop inside the orbit of the eye, through which the tendon of the superior oblique muscle passes.

Additional images
  • Supratrochlear nerve
  • Extrinsic eye muscle. Nerves of orbita. Deep dissection.
  • Extrinsic eye muscle. Nerves of orbita. Deep dissection.
  • Extrinsic eye muscle. Nerves of orbita. Deep dissection.
  • Extrinsic eye muscle. Nerves of orbita. Deep dissection.
  • Extrinsic eye muscle. Nerves of orbita. Deep dissection.

See also

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 888 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)


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