Genitofemoral Nerve

Genitofemoral Nerve

In human anatomy, the genitofemoral nerve (sometimes called the genitocrural) originates from the upper part of the lumbar plexus of spinal nerves. Its roots are L1 and L2 (lumbar).

The genitofemoral nerve is responsible for both the efferent and afferent limbs of the cremasteric reflex. The ilioinguinal nerve (L1) is also involved in the afferent limb of the reflex.

It emerges on the anterior surface of the psoas major muscle and divides into two branches:

• The femoral branch, or lumboinguinal nerve, supplies skin anterior to the upper part of the femoral triangle
• The genital branch:
  • in males, it travels through the inguinal canal, along with the spermatic cord, and supplies the cremaster muscle and the scrotal skin
  • in females, it ends in the skin of the mons pubis and labia majora