Video: Median nerve

Hello, again. This is Matt from Kenhub. And in this tutorial, we will discuss the distribution, innervation, and anatomy of the median nerve.

The median nerve derives from the lateral and the medial cords of the brachial plexus. Initially, it travels down on the medial side of the arm along with the brachial artery.

At the elbow, it will continue its course under the aponeurosis of the biceps and between the two heads of the pronator teres.

Once it gives off the antebrachial interosseous branch, it will initiate its trajectory in the forearm between flexor digitorum profundus and the flexor digitorum superficialis muscles serving as their supply.

Once the nerve reaches the rest, it continues under the flexor retinaculum in the carpal tunnel going towards the palm of the hand. There, it divides into its terminal braches which will then innervate several structures including the thenar muscles.

The median nerve provides motor branches to many muscles of the upper extremity, including the pronator teres, flexor digitorum superficialis and the profundus, and the most of the thenar muscles.