Which nerve supplies the interossei muscles of the hand?

The interossei muscles of the hand are primarily responsible for the movements of the fingers, specifically abduction and adduction. They are divided into two groups: the dorsal interossei, which facilitate abduction of the fingers, and the palmar interossei, which assist in adduction. The nerve responsible for supplying these muscles is the ulnar nerve.

The ulnar nerve innervates not only the interossei but also several other intrinsic muscles of the hand, including the hypothenar muscles and the adductor pollicis. This is crucial for the fine motor control of the fingers, which is essential for grasping and manipulating objects.

In contrast, the median nerve primarily supplies the thenar muscles and the lateral two lumbricals, while the musculocutaneous nerve mainly innervates flexor muscles in the arm, and the radial nerve is responsible for the extensor muscles of the arm and forearm. Understanding the specific innervation of hand muscles is fundamental in clinical settings, particularly in diagnosing nerve injuries and their functional implications.