Upper subscapular nerve

Upper subscapular nerve
Plan of brachial plexus. (Label for upper subscapular nerve at bottom center.)
Details
FromPosterior cord
InnervatesSubscapularis
Identifiers
Latinnervus subscapularis superior
TA26428
FMA65304
Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy

The upper (superior) subscapular nerve is the first branch of the posterior cord of the brachial plexus. The upper subscapular nerve contains axons from the ventral rami of the C5 and C6 cervical spinal nerves. It innervates the superior portion of the subscapularis muscle. The inferior portion of the subscapularis is innervated by the lower subscapular nerve.

Structure

The axons which form the upper subscapular nerve travel from the ventral rami of C5 and C6.[1] They join at the upper trunk and move through its posterior division to form the posterior cord, along with the other two posterior divisions of the middle and lower trunks.[1] The axons then branch from the posterior cord and form the upper subscapular nerve.[1][2]

Function

The upper subscapular nerve innervates the superior portion of the subscapularis muscle.[2][3]

Clinical significance

A lesion to the upper subscapular nerve can cause a reduced ability to medially rotate at the shoulder joint, however this function is supplemented by other muscles.[citation needed]

Additional images

  • Brachial plexus
    Brachial plexus
  • The right brachial plexus (infraclavicular portion) in the axillary fossa; viewed from below and in front.
    The right brachial plexus (infraclavicular portion) in the axillary fossa; viewed from below and in front.

References

  1. ^ a b c Standring, Susan, ed. (2016). Gray's anatomy : the anatomical basis of clinical practice (Forty-first ed.). Philadelphia: Elsevier. ISBN 978-0-7020-5230-9. OCLC 920806541.
  2. ^ a b Hentz, Vincent R. (2006-01-01), Slutsky, David J.; Hentz, Vincent R. (eds.), "Chapter 20 - Adult and Obstetrical Brachial Plexus Injuries", Peripheral Nerve Surgery, Philadelphia: Churchill Livingstone, pp. 299–317, ISBN 978-0-443-06667-2, retrieved 2021-01-10
  3. ^ Sager, Brian; Gates, Stephen; Collett, Garen; Chhabra, Avneesh; Khazzam, Michael (2019-07-01). "Innervation of the subscapularis: an anatomic study". JSES Open Access. 3 (2): 65–69. doi:10.1016/j.jses.2019.02.001. ISSN 2468-6026. PMC 6620204. PMID 31334431.
Stub icon

This neuroanatomy article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.