Quick Facts
Origin: Oculomotor nerve.
Course: Runs superiorly and anteriorly from the common tendinous ring to the deep surfaces of its target muscles.
Branches: None.
Supply: Superior rectus and levator palpebrae superioris muscles.
Related parts of the anatomy
Origin
The superior branch of the oculomotor nerve typically originates as a branch of the oculomotor nerve in or just anterior to the tendinous ring of the extraocular muscles of the eye.
Course
From its origin, the superior branch of the oculomotor nerve runs anteriorly and superiorly, just lateral to the optic nerve. It continues in this direction until it reaches the deep surface of its target muscles and terminates.
Branches
There are no named branches. The superior branch of the oculomotor nerve splits ramifies in the superior rectus and the levator palpebrae superioris muscles.
Supplied Structures
The superior branch of the oculomotor nerve is a motor nerve supplying somatic motor innervation to the superior rectus muscle (which primarily elevates the eye, although it also causes intorsion and adduction) and the levator palpebrae superioris muscle (which elevates the upper eyelid).
List of Clinical Correlates
—Ptosis
—Diplopia
