Question

What is the atlas in cervical vertebrae?

Answer 1

Atlas:

1. The first cervical vertebra is the one that sits between the head and the rest of the spine.
2. The atlas does not have a vertebral body, but it does have a thick anterior (ahead) arch and a narrow posterior (back) arch, as well as two sideways masses.
3. The atlas is located at the top of the axis, the second cervical vertebra.
4. It is made up of a bony bump called the odontoid process that extends through the hole in the atlas.
5. This one-of-a-kind setup allows you to move your head from one side to the other.
6. The unique ligaments that connect these two vertebrae allow for a greater degree of rotation between them.