What is the primary action of the occipitalis muscle?

The occipitalis muscle covers parts of the skull and helps the scalp move so that the forehead can wrinkle. It is part of the epicranius and spreads across the back of the skull.

The occipitalis muscle is mainly innervated by the facial nerve and receives its blood supply from the occipital artery. The muscle is thin and shaped like a quadrilateral. It arises from the occipital bone in the skull. This muscle's only function is to move the scalp. While the muscle moves the scalp, it also moves the forehead. As a result, it is one of the main muscles that humans use to express emotion.