Longus capitis muscle

Longus capitis muscle
The anterior vertebral muscles.
Details
Origin	anterior tubercles of the transverse processes of the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth cervical vertebræ
Insertion	basilar part of the occipital bone
Nerve	C1-C3/C4
Actions	flexion of neck at atlanto-occipital joint
Identifiers
Latin	musculus longus capitis
TA98	A04.2.01.003
TA2	2149
FMA	46308
Anatomical terms of muscle

The longus capitis muscle (Latin for long muscle of the head, alternatively rectus capitis anticus major), is broad and thick above, narrow below, and arises by four tendinous slips, from the anterior tubercles of the transverse processes of the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth cervical vertebræ, and ascends, converging toward its fellow of the opposite side, to be inserted into the inferior surface of the basilar part of the occipital bone.

It is innervated by a branch of cervical plexus.

Longus capitis has several actions:

acting unilaterally, to:

• flex the head and neck laterally
• rotate the head ipsilaterally

acting bilaterally:

• flex the head and neck

Additional images

• 
  Occipital bone. Outer surface.
• 
  Left temporal bone. Outer surface.
• 
  Base of skull. Inferior surface.
• 
  Longus capitis muscle
• 
  Longus capitis muscle

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 395 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

External links

• "Anatomy diagram: 25420.000-1". Roche Lexicon - illustrated navigator. Elsevier. Archived from the original on 2015-02-26.
• PTCentral