Corrugator supercilii muscle

Structure

The corrugator supercilii muscle is located at the medial end of the eyebrow. Its fibers pass laterally and somewhat superiorly from its origin to its insertion.

Origin

It arises from bone at the medial extremity of the superciliary arch.

Insertion

It inserts between the palpebral and orbital portions of the orbicularis oculi muscle. It inserts into the deep surface of the skin of the eyebrow, above the middle of the orbital arch.

Innervation

Motor innervation is provided by the temporal branches of facial nerve (CN VII).

Vasculature

The muscle receives arterial supply from adjacent arteries - mostly from the superficial temporal artery, and the ophthalmic artery.

Relations

It is situated deep to the frontalis muscle (of the occipitofrontalis muscle) and orbicularis oculi muscle, Its fibres are situated between the palpebral and orbital portions of the orbicularis oculi muscle.

The supratrochlear nerve passes between this muscle and the frontalis muscle.

Function

The muscle acts in tandem with the orbicularis oculi muscle. The corrugator supercilii muscle acts upon the skin of the forehead superior to the middle of the supraorbital margin, drawing the eyebrow inferomedially to produce vertical wrinkles of the forehead just superior to the nose. It is the "frowning" muscle, and may be regarded as the principal muscle in the expression of suffering. It also contracts to prevent high sun glare, pulling the eyebrows toward the bridge of the nose, making a roof over the area above the middle corner of the eye and typical forehead furrows to shield the eye from excessively bright sunlight.

Clinical significance

The muscle is sometimes surgically severed or paralysed with botulinum toxin as a preventive treatment for some types of migraine or for aesthetic reasons.

Etymology

The name corrugator supercilii comes from Latin, and means wrinkler of the eyebrows.

Additional images

File:Sobo 1909 261.png|Corrugator supercilii seen from the inside. File:Sobo 1909 262.png File:Sobo 1909 264.png File:Sobo 1909 266.png File:Corrugator supercilii muscle animation small.gif|Position of corrugator supercilii muscle (red) File:Gray134.png|Outer surface of frontal bone. File: Gray379.png| Visible on upper portion of face.

References

References

1. (2025). "StatPearls". StatPearls Publishing.
2. Standring, Susan. (2020). "Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice".
3. (June 2017). "Consensus recommendations for anaesthetic peripheral nerve block". Neurología (English Edition).
4. (January 2014). "The facial motor system". Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews.
5. "eye, human."Encyclopædia Britannica from [[Encyclopædia Britannica 2006 Ultimate Reference Suite DVD]] 2009
6. (November 2011). "Corrugator supercilii transection for headache emanating from the frontal region: a clinical evaluation of ten patients". Journal of Neural Transmission.