Anatomy and Physiology
Anatomy items test the bones, muscles, nerves, and blood vessels of the head, face, and neck, plus basic body-system facts that support safe service.
Bones of the skull and face
Frontal (forehead), parietal (paired, top and sides), temporal (paired, above the ears), occipital (base of the skull), zygomatic (cheekbone), maxilla (upper jaw, fixed), mandible (lower jaw, movable), plus the ethmoid and sphenoid around the eyes.
Muscles you touch
Epicranius, made of frontalis (raises the brows, wrinkles the forehead) and occipitalis (pulls the scalp back); temporalis (chewing); masseter (closes the jaw); orbicularis oculi (closes the eye); procerus and zygomaticus (expression); sternocleidomastoid (turns and tilts the head); trapezius (shoulders and neck).
Nerves and circulation
The fifth cranial (trigeminal) nerve carries sensation and some motor control of the face; the seventh cranial (facial) nerve is primarily motor for facial expression. Arteries supplying the region include the common carotid, superficial temporal, occipital, and facial. Lymph nodes to know: preauricular, postauricular, parotid, submandibular, submental, and cervical - enlarged nodes are a reason to avoid massage and refer.
Worked example
A scalp massage mainly affects the epicranius and temporalis, with blood supplied by the superficial temporal artery and sensation carried by the trigeminal nerve. Naming the facial nerve for sensation is the standard wrong answer.
Traps that cost marks
Swapping trigeminal and facial nerve functions, calling the mandible fixed, confusing arteries with veins, and forgetting that the integumentary system is the body's largest organ system.