Vertebral nerve
The vertebral nerve (" vertebral nerve ") is a nerve of the sympathetic nervous system in the area of the neck. It mostly arises from the stellate ganglion , rarely from the inferior cervical ganglion . From there it moves into the transverse process canal of the spine and accompanies the vertebral artery . The nerve corresponds to a deep ramus communicans griseus ("gray connecting branch", → borderline ), which supplies sympathetic nerve fibers to the spinal nerves of the neck . In about 15% of cases, the vertebral nerve is in the form of a fine plexus of nerves around the vertebral artery.
There is no unanimous opinion in human anatomy about the extent of the cervical nerves reached by the vertebral nerve. While some studies assume that the nerve only supplies sympathetic fibers to the 6th and 7th cervical nerves, other studies assume that it extends headward to the 3rd cervical nerve.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b R.S. Tubbs et al .: The vertebral nerve revisited. In: Clin Anat. 2007 Aug; 20 (6): 644-7. PMID 17352410
- ^ J. Yan et al .: The terminal insertional segments and communications of the vertebral nerve in the human cervical region. In: Surg Radiol Anat. 2009 Mar; 31 (3): 165-71. PMID 18839051