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Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences: Human Structure Module
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  9. Joints and Ligaments of the Back Region

Joints and Ligaments of the Back Region

Joint or ligamentDescriptionNotes
anterior longitudinal ligament a ligament that courses from superior to inferior along the anterior surfaces
of all vertebral bodies
it lies directly posterior to the thoracic and abdominal viscera
interspinous ligamenta ligament that connects the spinous processes of two adjacent vertebraa syndesmosis
intervertebral disca fibrocartilaginous disk between adjacent vertebral bodiesa symphysis; it is composed of two parts: an outer anulus fibrosus and an inner nucleus pulposus; the nucleus pulposus is the remnant of the notochord; the intervertebral disks are important shock absorbers between vertebrae
ligamenta flavaa ligament formed predominantly by elastic fibers which joins the laminae
of adjacent vertebrae
a syndesmosis; paired; the ligamentum flavum is penetrated by the needle
during spinal tap; the word flavum is derived from the Latin word flavus, which means "yellow" - a reference to the predominance of yellow elastic fibers which gives this ligament its grossly visible color
nuchal ligamenta midline ligament that extends posteriorly from the spinous processes of
cervical vertebrae and extends from the base of the skull to the 7th cervical
vertebra
a syndesmosis; it provides muscle attachments to the cervical spinous processes without the necessity of long spinous processes that would hinder extension of the neck
posterior longitudinal ligamenta ligament that courses from superior to inferior along the posterior surfaces
of all vertebral bodies
it is broader at the intervertebral disks and narrow at the vertebral bodies which gives it a scalloped edge; it is located in the vertebral canal; it is
NOT penetrated by the needle during spinal tap
supraspinous ligamenta ligament that connects the tips of the spinous processes of thoracic and
lumbar vertebrae
a syndesmosis; the supraspinous ligament begins at the C7 vertebra and ends at the mid-sacral segmental level; it serves as a muscle attachment site
zygapophyseal jointa small joint between the articular processes of adjacent vertebraea synovial plane joint
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