The broad origin of which muscle attaches to the frontal, temporal and parietal bones?

The broad origin of which muscle attaches to the frontal, temporal and parietal bones?

• A. Temporalis
• B. Masseter
• C. Sternocleidomastoid
• D. Digastric

Answer: (A)

The temporalis is the muscle with a broad, fan-shaped origin that spans the side of the skull. It arises from the temporal fossa on the bones of the skull and from the temporal fascia that is attached along the superior temporal line, which crosses the frontal and parietal bones as well as the temporal bone. That wide origin on the frontal, parietal, and temporal bones gives the muscle its broad attachment pattern and powerful activity in raising (and retracting) the jaw. By contrast, the other muscles listed have origins in different regions: the masseter from the zygomatic arch and maxilla, the sternocleidomastoid from the sternum and clavicle, and the digastric from the mandible and the mastoid region.

The temporalis is the muscle with a broad, fan-shaped origin that spans the side of the skull. It arises from the temporal fossa on the bones of the skull and from the temporal fascia that is attached along the superior temporal line, which crosses the frontal and parietal bones as well as the temporal bone. That wide origin on the frontal, parietal, and temporal bones gives the muscle its broad attachment pattern and powerful activity in raising (and retracting) the jaw. By contrast, the other muscles listed have origins in different regions: the masseter from the zygomatic arch and maxilla, the sternocleidomastoid from the sternum and clavicle, and the digastric from the mandible and the mastoid region.