{"id":5157,"date":"2021-04-28T12:10:50","date_gmt":"2021-04-28T08:10:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/meddists.com\/learn\/pre-clinical\/anatomy\/skull\/spine-and-vertebral-column\/cervical-vertebrae-atlas-and-axis-atlantooccipital-and-atlantoaxial-joints\/"},"modified":"2021-09-05T09:34:05","modified_gmt":"2021-09-05T07:34:05","slug":"cervical-vertebrae-and-their-joints","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/meddists.com\/learn\/pre-clinical\/anatomy\/skull-head-and-neck\/skull\/cervical-vertebrae-and-their-joints\/","title":{"rendered":"Cervical vertebrae and their joints"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><div class=\"intro\">The skeleton of the neck is formed by the cervical vertebrae, connecting the cranium to the thoracic vertebrae.<\/div><\/p>\n\n\n<span class=\"block-heading\" id=\"header_1\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"title_collection title1\">Description<\/h3>\n<\/span><span class=\"block-content\" id=\"contents_1\">\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>There are seven cervical vertebrae.<\/li><li>C1 and C2 (the atlas and axis) are specialized vertebrae that allow the movement of the head and will be discussed in depth further in this chapter.<\/li><li>The following features characterize the cervical vertebrae:<ul><li>Small square-shaped vertebral bodies.<\/li><li>Short bifid spinous processes.\u00a0<\/li><li>Transverse processes that contain a transverse foramen known as the\u00a0<strong>foramen transversarium<\/strong>:<ul><li>The vertebral vessels penetrate the foramen transversarium to move between the base of the neck and the cranial cavity, except in C7 where only pass through small accessory veins.\u00a0<\/li><li>The transverse processes of the cervical vertebrae include an anterior and posterior tubercle for the attachment of the levator scapulae and scalene muscles.<\/li><li>The anterior tubercles of the C6 are named carotid tubercles since the carotid arteries are located between the tubercle and the body of the vertebra.<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li>C7 is also known as vertebra prominens since it has the longest and prominent spinous process in comparison with the rest of the cervical vertebrae.\u00a0<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n<\/span><span class=\"block-heading\" id=\"header_2\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"title_collection title1\">Atlas<\/h3>\n<\/span><span class=\"block-content\" id=\"contents_2\">\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">C1, also known as Atlas, is a unique vertebra characterized by the fact that it lacks a body and a spinous process within its structure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>It owes its name to the fact that it supports the weight of the cranium resembling the way Atlas (Greek mythology) held the weight of the world on his shoulders.<\/li><li>Anterior and posterior arches interconnect the two lateral masses that give the Atlas its typical ring shape.<\/li><li>During the development, the body of C1 and the body of C2 fuse, giving place to the dens of C2. That explains why there is no intervertebral disc between these two vertebral structures.<\/li><li>Between the lateral masses of C1 anterior and posterior arches extends, each of which has a tubercle in the center of its structure, closing the ring shape of the Atlas.<\/li><li>The posterior arch has a wide groove for the vertebral artery and the C1 nerve.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n<\/span><span class=\"block-heading\" id=\"header_3\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"title_collection title1\">Axis<\/h3>\n<\/span><span class=\"block-content\" id=\"contents_3\">\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Vertebra C2 receives the name of the Axis, and it is the strongest of the cervical vertebrae. The Atlas rotates on the Axis when moving the head side by side.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The superior articular facets are two large support surfaces on which C2 rotates.&nbsp;<\/li><li>The odontoid process is a blunt den that projects superiorly from the body of the Axis.<\/li><li>Along with the spinal cord and the meninges, both dens are circumscribed by the atlas.&nbsp;<\/li><li>The odontoid process is the surface on which the rotation of the head occurs. These structures are located anterior to the spinal cord.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li><li>The primary function of the dens is to receive insertion from the transverse ligament of the atlas to prevent its displacement.&nbsp;<\/li><li>This ligament expands from one of the lateral masses of the atlas to the other, crossing between the dens and spinal cord, to form the posterior fence of the socket that receives the dens.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n<\/span><span class=\"block-heading\" id=\"header_4\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"title_collection title1\"><strong>Atlantooccipital and atlantoaxial joints<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/span><span class=\"block-content\" id=\"contents_4\">\n\n<\/span><span class=\"block-heading\" id=\"header_5\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"title_collection title2\">Atlantooccipital joint<\/h4>\n<\/span><span class=\"block-content\" id=\"contents_5\">\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The articulation between the Atlas and Occipital bones is the atlantooccipital joint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Each lateral mass of C1 articulates superiorly with an occipital condyle.<\/li><li>The atlantooccipital articulation is a synovial joint and is stabilized by an articular capsule.<\/li><li>It allows for 25 degrees of flexion and extension and 5 degrees of axial rotation.<\/li><li>This joint collaborates with the up and down movement of the head (to nod).<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The clinical relevance of the atlantooccipital joint is the<strong> Atlanto-Occipital Dislocation<\/strong> (AOD), a highly unstable craniocervical injury of the ligaments and\/or bony structures connecting the cranium to the upper cervical spine.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/span><span class=\"block-heading\" id=\"header_6\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"title_collection title2\">Atlantoaxial joint <\/h4>\n<\/span><span class=\"block-content\" id=\"contents_6\">\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each mass of the Atlas articulates inferiorly with the articular process of the Axis, forming the Atlantoaxial join.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The atlantoaxial articulation allows 15 degrees of flexion and extension and 30 degrees of axial rotation, and it is classified as a<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>pivot joint.\u00a0<\/li><li>There are several ligaments that relate to and connect the atlantoaxial joint with other structures:<ul><li><strong>The alar ligaments<\/strong> attach from the dens of the odontoid process of C2 to the medial surfaces of the occipital condyle on each side. <ul><li>Their function is to limit excessive rotation of the head.<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><ul><li><strong>The Barkow ligament<\/strong> connects the dens of the axis to each occipital condyle.<ul><li>This ligament assists in resisting the excessive extension of the atlantooccipital joint.<\/li><li>It lies anterior to the alar ligaments.<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><ul><li><strong>The cruciform ligament:<\/strong><ul><li>It consists of three bands (superior, transverse, and inferior) located posterior to the odontoid.<ul><li>The superior band settles the odontoid to the basion.<\/li><li>The transverse band stabilizes the odontoid to the lateral masses of C1 and limits lateral movement of the Atlas. It is the strongest segment of this ligament.<\/li><li>The inferior band is an extension of the superior band and collaborates in strengthening the connection between the body of the Axis and basion.<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><strong>The accessory atlantoaxial ligament:<\/strong><ul><li>It attaches from the posterior portion of the body of C2 to the lateral masses of C1.<\/li><li>The function of this ligament is unclear.<\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><strong>The<\/strong> <strong>posterior atlanto-occipital membrane<\/strong>:<ul><li>Connects the occipital bone to the posterior arch of the atlas.<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\n<\/span><div id=\"the_titles\" style=\"display:none;\"><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Description<\/h3><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Atlas<\/h3><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Axis<\/h3><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Atlantooccipital and atlantoaxial joints<\/strong><\/h3><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Atlantooccipital joint<\/h4><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Atlantoaxial joint <\/h4><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Description There are seven cervical vertebrae. C1 and C2 (the atlas and axis) are specialized vertebrae that allow the movement of the head and will be discussed in depth further in this chapter. The following features characterize the cervical vertebrae: Small square-shaped vertebral bodies. Short bifid spinous processes.\u00a0 Transverse processes that contain a transverse foramen [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":4132,"menu_order":2,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-5157","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Cervical vertebrae and their joints &#8211; Meddists<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/meddists.com\/learn\/pre-clinical\/anatomy\/skull-head-and-neck\/skull\/cervical-vertebrae-and-their-joints\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/meddists.com\\\/learn\\\/pre-clinical\\\/anatomy\\\/skull-head-and-neck\\\/skull\\\/cervical-vertebrae-and-their-joints\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/meddists.com\\\/learn\\\/pre-clinical\\\/anatomy\\\/skull-head-and-neck\\\/skull\\\/cervical-vertebrae-and-their-joints\\\/\",\"name\":\"Cervical vertebrae and their joints &#8211; 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