Occipitalis muscle

Occipitalis Muscle is a thin, quadrilateral muscle located at the back of the head that forms the posterior part of the occipitofrontalis muscle. It helps in the movement of the scalp and the eyebrows.

Anatomy

The occipitalis muscle originates from the occipital bone and the mastoid process of the temporal bone. It inserts into the galea aponeurotica, a tough layer of dense fibrous tissue which covers the upper part of the cranium.

Function

The primary function of the occipitalis muscle is to move the scalp back. When it contracts, it pulls the scalp backward. This muscle works in conjunction with the frontalis muscle to move the scalp and eyebrows.

Clinical Significance

Damage or injury to the occipitalis muscle can cause headache, especially at the back of the head. It can also lead to difficulty in moving the scalp and eyebrows.

See Also

• Occipitofrontalis muscle
• Frontalis muscle
• Temporalis muscle
• Scalp

References

Occipitalis muscle Resources
Need Help Finding a Doctor? Need help finding a doctor or specialist anywhere in the world? Explore our world directory. WikiMD's DocFinder can assist you in locating millions of physicians.	Medical Knowledge Access the latest research - Most recent articles Ongoing trials.

Translate to: East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, Urdu, বাংলা, తెలుగు, தமிழ், ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, European español, Deutsch, français, русский, português do Brasil, Italian, polski