Epicranium

Epicranium

Epicranium

Collection of structures covering the cranium

This article is about the anatomy of the head of Vertebrata. For head capsule of Insecta, see Insect morphology § Head.

The epicranium is the medical term for the collection of structures covering the cranium. It consists of the muscles, aponeurosis, and skin.[1]

Parts

The epicranial aponeurosis is a tough layer of dense fibrous tissue that covers the upper part of the skull.

The epicranial muscle (also called the epicranius) has two sections: the occipital belly, near the occipital bone, and the frontal belly, near the frontal bone. It is supplied by the supraorbital artery, the supratrochlear artery, and the occipital artery. It is innervated by the facial nerve.

The epicranium also includes the skin of the scalp and the layer of subcutaneous tissue below it.

References

  1. [1]
    Fournier, H. D.; Dellière, V.; Gourraud, J. B.; Mercier, Ph. (2006), Pickard, J. D.; Akalan, N.; Di Rocco, C.; Dolenc, V. V. (eds.), "Surgical Anatomy of Calvarial Skin and Bones—With Particular Reference to Neurosurgical Approaches", Advances and Technical Standards in Neurosurgery, Vienna: Springer, pp. 253–271, doi:10.1007/3-211-32234-5_6, ISBN 978-3-211-32234-5, retrieved 2023-01-31


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