Cervical Plexus

Question 1

Nerves that anastomose with the cervical plexus

Answer 1

• Spinal accessory nerve (CNXI)
• Hypoglossal nerve (CNXII)
• Branches for the sympathetic chain (postganglionic sympathetic axons)

Question 2

CNXI

Answer 2

GSE only
innervates the SCM and upper part of the trap muscle (muscle test: shoulder shrug)

CNXI originates in cord and goes out jugular foramen to innervate traps

Cranial part starts in nucleus ambiguous (SVE cell bodies)

SVE equals GSE: skeletal muscle from somites

Question 3

CNXII

Answer 3

GSE only

Innervates the intrinsic muscles of the tongue.

Question 4

Ansa cervicalis

Answer 4

C1-C3
Innervates: Geniohyoid (C1 only), Thyrohyoid (C1 only), Sternothyroid, sternohyoid, and omohyoid

Contains GSC, GSA, GVA, and postganglionic GVE sympathetic component axons

Question 5

Phrenic nerve

Answer 5

C3,4,5
Innervates the diaphragm

Post GVE sympathetic, GSE, GSA, GVA

Question 6

C2 cutaneous

Answer 6

Lesser occipital nerve

Distributed to the lateral part of occipital region

Question 7

C2-3 cutaneous

Answer 7

Great auricular nerve

Distributed to the skin around the outer ear and the external acoustic meatus

And

Transverse cervical nerve

Distributed to the anterior region of neck

Question 8

C3-4 cutaneous

Answer 8

Supraclavicular nerves

Distributed to the region of supraspinatus, shoulder, and upper thoracic region

Question 9

What carries the majority of the muscular branches of the cervical plexus?

Answer 9

Ansa cervicalis (C1-3)