The cervical enlargement corresponds with the attachments of the large nerves which supply the
upper limbs.
Located just above the
brachial plexus
The brachial plexus is a network () of nerves formed by the anterior rami of the lower four cervical nerves and first thoracic nerve ( C5, C6, C7, C8, and T1). This plexus extends from the spinal cord, through the cervicoaxillary canal in th ...
, it extends from about the fifth
cervical to the first
thoracic vertebra
In vertebrates, thoracic vertebrae compose the middle segment of the vertebral column, between the cervical vertebrae and the lumbar vertebrae. In humans, there are twelve thoracic vertebrae and they are intermediate in size between the cervica ...
, its maximum circumference (about 38 mm.) being on a level with the attachment of the sixth pair of
cervical nerves
A spinal nerve is a mixed nerve, which carries motor, sensory, and autonomic signals between the spinal cord and the body. In the human body there are 31 pairs of spinal nerves, one on each side of the vertebral column. These are grouped into the ...
.
The reason behind the enlargement of the cervical region is because of the increased neural input and output to the upper limbs.
An analogous region in the lower limbs occurs at the
lumbar enlargement.
References
External links
*
* - "Vertebral Canal and Spinal Cord: Regions of the Spinal Cord"
* - "Spinal Cord, Fetus, Posterior View"
Nerves of the upper limb
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