Cervical dorsal rami axon fcn

Question 1

Suboccipital n. C1

Answer 1

Muscular branches

function- sensory, postganglionic sympathetic [gray ramus] and motor innervation of semispinalis capitis, inferior oblique, superior oblique, rectus capitis posterior major and rectus capitis posterior minor muscles

Question 2

C2

Answer 2

Medial branch; greater occipital n.
function- sensory and postganglionic sympathetic [gray ramus] innervation of the skin overlying the back of the head

Lateral branch
function- sensory, postganglionic sympathetic [gray ramus] and motor innervation of the splenius capitis, longissimus capitis & semispinalis capitis muscles

Question 3

C3

Answer 3

Medial branch; 3rd occipital n.
function- sensory and postganglionic sympathetic [gray ramus] innervation of the skin overlying the suboccipital triangle

Lateral branch
function- sensory, postganglionic sympathetic [gray ramus] and motor innervation of the overlying neck muscles

Question 4

C4-8

Answer 4

Medial branches
function- sensory and postganglionic sympathetic (gray rami communicans) innervation of the skin overlying the cervical vertebrae and to the articular facet joints

Lateral branches
function- sensory, postganglionic sympathetic (gray ramus) and motor innervation of the overlying neck muscles