The occipital bone, a saucer-shaped membrane bone situated at the back and lower part of the cranium, is trapezoid in shape and curved on itself. It is pierced by a large oval aperture, the foramen magnum, through which the cranial cavity communicates with the vertebral canal.
..... Click the link for more information.

In vertebrates, cervical vertebrae (singular: vertebra) are those vertebrae immediately behind (caudal to) the skull.

Variation among species

In some species, some parts of the skull may be composed of vertebra-like elements, e.g.
..... Click the link for more information.

Latin}}} 
Official status
Official language of: Vatican City
Used for official purposes, but not spoken in everyday speech
Regulated by: Opus Fundatum Latinitas
Roman Catholic Church
Language codes
ISO 639-1: la
ISO 639-2: lat
..... Click the link for more information.

Elsevier, the world's largest publisher of medical and scientific literature, forms part of the Reed Elsevier group. Based in Amsterdam, the company has substantial operations in the UK, USA and elsewhere.
..... Click the link for more information.

The term spinal nerve generally refers to the mixed spinal nerve, which is formed from the dorsal and ventral roots that come out of the spinal cord. The spinal nerve is the bit that passes out of the vertebrae through the intervertebral foramen.
..... Click the link for more information.

spinal chord is a thin, tubular bundle of nerves that is an extension of the central nervous system from the brain and is enclosed in and protected by the bony vertebral column.
..... Click the link for more information.

skull is a bony structure found in many animals which serves as the general framework for the head. The skull supports the structures of the face and protects the head against injury.

The skull can be subdivided into two parts: the cranium and the mandible.
..... Click the link for more information.

In vertebrates, cervical vertebrae (singular: vertebra) are those vertebrae immediately behind (caudal to) the skull.

Variation among species

In some species, some parts of the skull may be composed of vertebra-like elements, e.g.
..... Click the link for more information.

In anatomy, the atlas (C1) is the topmost (first) cervical vertebra of the spine.

It is named for the Atlas of mythology, because it supports the globe of the head.
..... Click the link for more information.

MUSCLE (multiple sequence comparison by log-expectation) is public domain, multiple sequence alignment software for protein and nucleotide sequences.
..... Click the link for more information.

The suboccipital triangle is a region of the neck bounded by the following three muscles:

• Rectus capitis posterior major - above and medially
• Obliquus capitis superior - above and laterally
• Obliquus capitis inferior - below and laterally

..... Click the link for more information.

The Rectus capitis posterior major (Rectus capitis posticus major) arises by a pointed tendon from the spinous process of the axis, and, becoming broader as it ascends, is inserted into the lateral part of the inferior nuchal line of the occipital bone and the surface of the bone
..... Click the link for more information.

The Obliquus capitis superior muscle arises from the lateral mass of the atlas bone. It passes superiorly and posteriorly to insert into the lateral half of the inferior nuchal line. It is innervated by the suboccipital nerve, the dorsal ramus of the first spinal nerve.
..... Click the link for more information.

The obliquus capitis inferior muscle is the larger of the two oblique muscles of the neck. It arises from the apex of the spinous process of the axis and passes laterally and slightly upward, to be inserted into the lower and back part of the transverse process of the atlas.
..... Click the link for more information.

The vertebral arteries are branches of the subclavian arteries.

Cervical

They arise, one on each side of the body, then enter deep to the transverse process of the level of the 6th cervical vertebrae (C6).
..... Click the link for more information.

eMedicine is an online clinical medical knowledge base that was founded in 1996 by Scott Plantz and Richard Lavely, two medical doctors. It was sold to WebMD in January 2006.
..... Click the link for more information.

The term spinal nerve generally refers to the mixed spinal nerve, which is formed from the dorsal and ventral roots that come out of the spinal cord. The spinal nerve is the bit that passes out of the vertebrae through the intervertebral foramen.
..... Click the link for more information.

In anatomy and neurology, the ventral root (or anterior root) is the efferent motor root of a spinal nerve.

At its distal end, the ventral root joins with the dorsal root to form a mixed spinal nerve.
..... Click the link for more information.

In anatomy and neurology, the dorsal root (or posterior root) is the afferent sensory root of a spinal nerve.

At the distal end of the dorsal root is the dorsal root ganglion, which contains the neuron cell bodies of the nerve fibres conveyed by the root.
..... Click the link for more information.

In anatomy and neurology, the dorsal root ganglion (or spinal ganglion) is a nodule on a dorsal root that contains cell bodies of neurons in afferent spinal nerves.

The axons of dorsal root ganglion neurons are known as afferents.
..... Click the link for more information.

The cauda equina is a structure within the lower end of the spinal column of most vertebrates, that consists of nerve roots and rootlets from above. Cauda equina is sometimes considered as an extension of the pia mater of the spinal cord.
..... Click the link for more information.

Each spinal nerve receives a branch, gray ramus communicans, from the adjacent ganglion of the sympathetic trunk.

They contain unmyelinated postganglionic sympathetic fibers.
..... Click the link for more information.

The thoracic, and the first and second lumbar nerves each contribute a branch, white ramus communicans to the adjoining sympathetic ganglion.

They contain myelinated preganglionic sympathetic fibers (GVE and GVA).
..... Click the link for more information.

The cervical nerves are the spinal nerves from the cervical vertebrae.

Although there are seven cervical vertebrae (C1-C7), there are eight cervical nerves (C1-C8).
..... Click the link for more information.

The greater occipital nerve is a spinal nerve arising from the dorsal primary rami of cervical spinal nerve 2, between the first and second cervical vertebrae, along with the lesser occipital nerve.
..... Click the link for more information.

third occipital nerve, which pierces the Trapezius and ends in the skin of the lower part of the back of the head.

It lies medial to the greater occipital and communicates with it.
..... Click the link for more information.

The thoracic nerves are the spinal nerves emerging from the thoracic vertebrae.

Anterior divisions

• The intercostal nerves come from thoracic nerves T1-T11, and run between the ribs ("costae"). At T2 and T3, it further branches into the intercostobrachial nerve.

..... Click the link for more information.

The lumbar nerves are the five spinal nerves emerging from the lumbar vertebrae. They are divided into posterior and anterior divisions.

Posterior divisions

The medial branches of the posterior divisions of the lumbar nerves run close to the articular processes of the
..... Click the link for more information.

The five sacral nerves emerge from the sacrum. Although the vertebral components of the sacrum are fused into a single bone, the sacral vertebrae are still used to number the sacral nerves.
..... Click the link for more information.

The coccygeal nerve is the spinal nerve that corresponds to the coccyx bone.

Structure

The coccygeal nerve is the 31st spinal nerve. It arises from the sacral plexus, and its ventral ramus helps form the coccygeal plexus.
..... Click the link for more information.