Quick Facts
Origin: C5 root of the brachial plexus.
Course: Inferiorly along the medial border of the scapula.
Branches: No named branches.
Supply: Motor innervation. Supplies the levator scapulae, rhomboid minor, and rhomboid major muscles.
Related parts of the anatomy
Origin
The dorsal scapular nerve is a branch of the anterior ramus of the fifth cervical nerve (the C5 root of the brachial plexus).
Course
Shortly after its origin, the dorsal scapular nerve typically pierces the scalenus medius muscle. It then runs slightly posterior to join up with the dorsal scapular artery. Together with this artery, the nerve runs down the medial border of the scapula, deep to the levator scapulae and rhomboid muscles, and superficial to the serratus anterior.
Branches
The dorsal scapular nerve has no named branches.
Supplied Structures
The dorsal scapular nerve is a motor nerve. It innervates the levator scapulae, rhomboid minor, and rhomboid major muscles.
Learn more about this topic from other Elsevier products
Dorsal Scapular Nerve
The long thoracic and dorsal scapular nerves are early (supraclavicular) derivatives of the brachial plexus, which form from the anterior primary rami proximal to the brachial plexus.
