How to Remember Every Muscle in the Head and Face | Corporis

Summary

In this video, the presenter offers practical tips and tricks for memorizing the skeletal muscles of the head and face, using simple techniques based on anatomical naming conventions. The muscles are grouped into smaller chunks for easier learning, starting with those of the forehead, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, chewing, and tongue. The video emphasizes how anatomical names often hint at location, shape, action, or function, making them easier to remember. Through mnemonic devices, visual imagery, and logic-based associations, the viewer is guided through the muscles in a clear and engaging manner.

Takeaways

• 😀 Anatomists often use predictable naming conventions for muscles, combining Latin roots with location, shape, or action to help with memorization.
• 😀 The muscles of the forehead, such as the frontalis and occipitalis, are named after their location, with the frontalis lifting the eyebrows and the occipitalis covering the back of the skull.
• 😀 The orbicularis oculi muscle encircles the eye and is named based on its shape and location, enabling the closing of the eyelids.
• 😀 Some muscles, like the corrugator supercilii and depressor supercilii, are named after their actions on the eyebrows, with the former furrowing the brow.
• 😀 Extraocular muscles like the rectus oculi muscles control eye movement in various directions, with four of them pointing in straight lines (up, down, left, right).
• 😀 The levator palpebrae superioris raises the upper eyelid, and the superior tarsal muscle assists with this action.
• 😀 The auricularis muscles around the ear (anterior, superior, and posterior) are named with directional terms and are remnants of evolutionary traits.
• 😀 The stapedius and tensor tympani muscles protect the eardrum from loud noises by affecting the ear bones, such as the stapes and malleus.
• 😀 The muscles around the nose, such as the transverse nasalis and alar nasalis, control nostril movement for dilation and compression.
• 😀 The mouth muscles, like the zygomaticus major and minor, allow for expressions such as smiling, while muscles like the buccinator help with cheek movement and air expulsion.
• 😀 The chewing muscles, including the masseter and temporalis, are essential for mastication, with additional muscles like the lateral and medial pterygoids aiding in jaw movement.
• 😀 The tongue muscles are divided into intrinsic (changing shape) and extrinsic (moving the tongue), with names like hyoglossus, styloglossus, and genioglossus indicating their origin and function.

Q & A

Why do anatomists choose such predictable naming conventions for muscles?

Anatomists typically use naming conventions based on the region, position, shape, or action of a muscle, often combined with Latin roots. This system helps in making the names more intuitive and easy to remember.

What is the difference between the frontalis and occipitalis muscles?

The frontalis muscle is located at the front of the forehead and is responsible for raising the eyebrows, while the occipitalis covers the back of the skull. Some anatomists group them together as the occipitofrontalis because they share connective tissue but don't insert on any bony landmark.

How can the orbicularis oculi muscle be remembered?

The orbicularis oculi encircles the eye, and its name reflects this function. 'Orbicularis' refers to its circular shape, and 'oculi' indicates it is around the eye. It helps in closing the eyelids.

What helps differentiate the corrugator supercilii from the depressor supercilii?

The corrugator supercilii is located high and medially, and it helps furrow the eyebrows, often associated with an angry expression. The depressor supercilii is smaller, located within the orbicularis oculi, and helps in lowering the eyebrows.

What is the function of the rectus muscles in the eye?

The rectus muscles of the eye — superior, inferior, medial, and lateral rectus — are responsible for moving the eye in different directions: up, down, left, and right.

What is the difference between rectus and oblique eye muscles?

Rectus muscles pull the eye in a straight line in one of four directions, while oblique muscles, like the superior and inferior obliques, pull the eye at slanted angles using connective tissue pulleys.

What are the auricularis muscles, and how can they be remembered?

The auricularis muscles (anterior, superior, and posterior) are responsible for moving the outer ear. The names are easily remembered because they follow directional terms (anterior, superior, posterior) and include 'auricle,' which refers to the ear.

How does the tensor tympani muscle protect the ear?

The tensor tympani pulls on the malleus bone in the ear, creating tension on the tympanic membrane (eardrum), which helps protect it from loud noises.

What is the function of the levator palpebrae superioris?

The levator palpebrae superioris muscle lifts the upper eyelid. The name indicates its function: 'levator' means it lifts, 'superior' means it moves the eyelid upward, and 'palpebrae' refers to the eyelid.

What is the main function of the buccinator muscle?

The buccinator muscle helps in pushing air out of the mouth when it is filled, and it plays a significant role in chewing and sucking. It is also known as the 'trumpet muscle' due to its association with playing wind instruments.