Quick Facts
Origin: Facial nerve.
Course: Immediately enters and innervates the posterior belly of the digastric muscle.
Branches: None.
Supply: Motor innervation to the posterior belly of digastric muscle.
Related parts of the anatomy
Origin
The digastric branch of the facial nerve is a branch off the main trunk of the facial nerve, originating shortly after the facial nerve exits from the stylomastoid foramen.
Course
From its origin just inferior to the stylomastoid foramen, the digastric branch of the facial nerve lies between the stylohyoid muscle and posterior belly of the digastric muscle. It quickly dives into the substance of the posterior belly of the digastric muscle.
Branches
There are no named branches.
Supplied Structures
The digastric branch of the facial nerve is a branchial motor nerve. It innervates the posterior belly of the digastric muscle.
Learn more about this topic from other Elsevier products
Facial Nerve
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.
