Nerve Suboccipital

Suboccipital nerve

Short description

The suboccipital nerve is one of the cranial nerves that provides innervation to the muscles and tissues in the occipital region of the head. It is part of cranial nerve V3, which consists of three large nuclei in the brainstem. The nerve leaves the brain through the foramen magnum and passes through the occipital bone, connecting to the skin and muscles of the back of the head. The structures it innervates include the periosteum, skin, subcutaneous fat, epidermis, sweat glands and muscles of masseter, facial and trapezius. The suboccipital nerve is essential to our ability to chew, swallow, breathe and speak. However, when the nerve is damaged, various problems can occur, such as paralysis of the lower jaw, difficulty breathing and speech problems.

Historical information

The first descriptions of the occipital nerve were