Neck | |||
The Neck extends from the chin to the collarbone. It consists of the vertebrae of the cervical spine which support the head, the oesophagus and larynx and trachea, muscles, glands and lymph nodes. The spinal cord runs in the spinal canal, at the front of the vertebrae, and nerves supplying the scalp and upper limb emerge from beneath each vertebra. At each side of the neck run the great vessels - the carotid artery and the jugular vein - together with nerves of the autonomic nervous system - the nerves that control bodily functions such as the heart rate and bowel action. There is an artery - the vertebral artery - running up through the vertebrae to supply the back of the brain. Under normal circumstances the neck allows movement of the head so that we can look up at the sky, down to the ground, and side to side over each shoulder. | |||
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