The anterior auricular muscle, the smallest of the three auricular muscles, is thin and fan-shaped, and its fibers are pale and indistinct. It arises from the lateral edge of the epicranial aponeurosis, and its fibers converge to be inserted into a projection on the front of the

helix A helix () is a shape like a corkscrew or spiral staircase. It is a type of smooth space curve with tangent lines at a constant angle to a fixed axis. Helices are important in biology, as the DNA molecule is formed as two intertwined hel ...

Structure

The anterior auricular muscle arises from the lateral edge of the epicranial aponeurosis. It inserts into a projection on the front of the

Nerve supply

The anterior auricular muscle is supplied is supplied by the temporal branch of the

facial nerve The facial nerve, also known as the seventh cranial nerve, cranial nerve VII, or simply CN VII, is a cranial nerve that emerges from the pons of the brainstem, controls the muscles of facial expression, and functions in the conveyance of ta ...

(VII). It may also receive some small branches from the

auriculotemporal nerve The auriculotemporal nerve is a branch of the mandibular nerve (CN V3) that runs with the superficial temporal artery and vein, and provides sensory innervation to various regions on the side of the head. Structure Origin The auriculotemp ...

, a branch of the mandibular nerve, itself a branch of the

trigeminal nerve In neuroanatomy, the trigeminal nerve (literal translation, lit. ''triplet'' nerve), also known as the fifth cranial nerve, cranial nerve V, or simply CN V, is a cranial nerve responsible for Sense, sensation in the face and motor functions ...

(V).

Relations

The anterior auricular muscle is the smallest of the three auricular muscles. The superficial temporal artery, a branch of the

external carotid artery The external carotid artery is a major artery of the head and neck. It arises from the common carotid artery when it splits into the external and internal carotid artery. External carotid artery supplies blood to the face and neck. Structure ...

, travels underneath the anterior auricular muscle to supply the auricle of the outer ear.

Function

The anterior auricular muscle draws the auricle of the outer ear upwards and forwards. This is a very subtle movement in most people, although some people can wiggle their ears.

Additional images

File:Auricularis anterior.png, Auricula in context.

References