The digastric muscle is a suprahyoid muscle of the neck. It consist of two muscular bellies which are connected via a tendon.
- Attachments:
- The anterior belly arises from the digastric fossa of the mandible.
- The posterior belly arises from the mastoid process of the temporal bone.
- The two bellies are connected by an intermediate tendon, which is attached to the hyoid bone via a fibrous sling.
- Actions: Depresses the mandible and elevates the hyoid bone.
- Innervation:
- The anterior belly is innervated by the inferior alveolar nerve, a branch of the mandibular nerve (which is derived from the trigeminal nerve, CN V).
- The posterior belly is innervated by the digastric branch of the facial nerve.
- Blood Supply: Vertebral artery and the deep descending branch of the occipital artery.
By TeachMeSeries Ltd (2025)
Fig 1
Lateral view of the neck with three of the suprahyoid muscles highlighted (digastric, mylohyoid and stylohyoid)
