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Cervical Branch of Facial Nerve
Nervous System

Cervical Branch of Facial Nerve

Ramus cervicalis nervi facialis

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Quick Facts

Origin: Inferior division of the facial nerve.

Course: Runs inferiorly and slightly anteriorly through the parotid gland down below the mandible and into the neck.

Branches: None.

Supply: Motor innervation to the platysma muscle.

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Origin

The cervical branch of the facial nerve originates when the inferior division of the facial nerve splits. This occurs in the substance of the parotid gland.

Course

From its origin, the cervical branch of the facial nerve runs inferiorly and slightly anteriorly out of the parotid gland. It follows the posterior edge of the ramus of the mandible down, passing below the mandible and entering the neck.

Branches

There are no named branches.

Supplied Structures

The cervical branch of the facial nerve is a motor nerve that innervates the platysma muscle. It sends branchial motor efferents.

Learn more about this topic from other Elsevier products

Facial Nerve

ScienceDirect image

The facial nerve is the nerve of the second pharyngeal arch and supplies motor innervation to all of the muscles derived from this mesoderm, namely the muscles of facial expression.

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