What is the first vertebra called?
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The top vertebra of the neck is called the atlas. Gray's Anatomy (1918) describes it as the top vertebra of the spine, on which the skull rests.
Summary
The top vertebra of the neck is called the atlas. Gray's Anatomy (1918) describes it as the top vertebra of the spine, on which the skull rests.
What it is
- The top vertebra of the spine, on which the skull rests.
- Has no body and no spinous process \u2014 just a ring of bone.
- Named after the mythological figure who carried the world.
Where it is
- Directly beneath the skull.
- Articulates above with the occipital bone of the skull (allowing the 'yes' nod).
- Articulates below with the axis (the second cervical vertebra).
Sources
According to Gray's Anatomy of the Human Body (1918, public domain):
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