Anatomy and Structure of the Neck
- The neck connects the head with the torso in vertebrates.
- It supports the weight of the head and protects the nerves.
- The neck is highly flexible, allowing the head to turn and flex.
- Four compartments in the human neck: vertebral, visceral, and two vascular compartments.
- Structures within the neck include cervical vertebrae, respiratory and digestive tracts, endocrine glands, nerves, arteries, and veins.
Neck Triangles and Muscles
- Neck muscles attach to the skull, hyoid bone, clavicles, and sternum.
- Two major neck triangles: anterior and posterior.
- Anterior triangle bounded by sternocleidomastoid muscle, mandible, and midline of the neck.
- Anterior triangle contains suprahyoid and infrahyoid muscles.
- Posterior triangle bordered by sternocleidomastoid muscle, trapezius muscle, and clavicle.
Nerve Supply of the Neck
- Sensation in the front areas of the neck comes from spinal nerves C2-C4.
- Sensation in the back of the neck comes from spinal nerves C4-C5.
- Accessory nerve and vagus nerve travel down the neck.
- Nerves from the human spine also contribute to the neck's nerve supply.
Blood Supply and Vessels of the Neck
- Arteries supplying the neck include common carotid arteries.
- Common carotid arteries bifurcate into internal and external carotid arteries.
- Neck also contains veins such as the internal jugular vein and external jugular vein.
- Blood vessels in the neck are important for the neck's blood supply.
- Arterial dissections and internal jugular vein thrombosis can be sources of neck pain.
Neck Pain, Disorders, and Research
- A population-based study found a prevalence of neck pain and identified associated factors.
- Neck circumference has been linked to cardiometabolic risk factors.
- Neck circumference can also be a predictor of mechanical ventilation support in COVID-19 patients.
- Neck circumference has been shown to predict mortality in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
- Neck circumference has been associated with upper-body and lower-body adipose tissue.
The neck is the part of the body on many vertebrates that connects the head with the torso. The neck supports the weight of the head and protects the nerves that carry sensory and motor information from the brain down to the rest of the body. In addition, the neck is highly flexible and allows the head to turn and flex in all directions. The structures of the human neck are anatomically grouped into four compartments: vertebral, visceral and two vascular compartments. Within these compartments, the neck houses the cervical vertebrae and cervical part of the spinal cord, upper parts of the respiratory and digestive tracts, endocrine glands, nerves, arteries and veins. Muscles of the neck are described separately from the compartments. They bound the neck triangles.
| Neck | |
|---|---|
 Human neck | |
| Details | |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | cervix; collum |
| MeSH | D009333 |
| TA98 | A01.1.00.012 |
| TA2 | 123 |
| FMA | 7155 |
| Anatomical terminology | |
In anatomy, the neck is also called by its Latin names, cervix or collum, although when used alone, in context, the word cervix more often refers to the uterine cervix, the neck of the uterus. Thus the adjective cervical may refer either to the neck (as in cervical vertebrae or cervical lymph nodes) or to the uterine cervix (as in cervical cap or cervical cancer).
