Final answer:
The muscle that attaches to the anterosuperior part of the sclera and pulls the eye superiorly when contracted is the superior rectus muscle. This extraocular muscle is one of six that control eye movement, playing a pivotal role in vertical eye direction.
Step-by-step explanation:
The muscle that attaches to the anterosuperior part of the sclera and pulls the eye superiorly when it contracts is the superior rectus muscle.
The superior rectus is one of the six extraocular muscles responsible for controlling eye movements. When it contracts, it causes the eye to look upwards. This muscle originates from the bones of the orbit and inserts into the surface of the eyeball. Purely vertical movements of the eyes, like the one produced by superior rectus contraction, are not very common since most eye movements have some horizontal components as well. Alongside the superior rectus, there are other extraocular muscles, such as the medial rectus, lateral rectus, inferior rectus, superior oblique, and inferior oblique, all of which contribute to the complex and precise control of eye movements. These muscles are innervated by three cranial nerves, with all but the lateral rectus and superior oblique being innervated by the oculomotor nerve.