Trochlear fovea

Anatomical feature of the human skull

Diagram of the orbit showing the location of the trochlear fovea.

Trochlear fovea

The trochlear fovea is a small depression located on the anterolateral aspect of the orbital surface of the frontal bone of the skull. It is situated near the orbital margin and serves as the attachment site for the trochlea of superior oblique, a fibrocartilaginous loop through which the superior oblique muscle of the eye passes.

Anatomy

The trochlear fovea is found in the upper part of the orbit, near the junction of the frontal bone and the ethmoid bone. It is a small, shallow depression that can vary in size and shape among individuals. The fovea is located just medial to the supraorbital notch or foramen, which transmits the supraorbital nerve and vessels.

Function

The primary function of the trochlear fovea is to provide a stable attachment point for the trochlea, which acts as a pulley for the superior oblique muscle. This muscle is responsible for depressing, abducting, and intorting the eye, allowing for complex movements necessary for proper vision.

Clinical significance

Injuries or abnormalities involving the trochlear fovea or the trochlea can affect the function of the superior oblique muscle, leading to strabismus or other ocular motility disorders. Such conditions may require surgical intervention to correct the alignment of the eye.

Related pages

• Orbit (anatomy)
• Frontal bone
• Superior oblique muscle
• Eye movement

References

• Susan,

 Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice, 
 41st edition, 
 Elsevier, 
 2016, 
  
  
 ISBN 978-0-7020-5230-9,

• Williams, Peter L.,

 Gray's Anatomy, 
 Journal of Anatomy, 
 2002,
 Vol. 200(Issue: 5),
 pp. 603–605,
 DOI: 10.1046/j.1469-7580.2002.00001.x,