The meningeal branches of the spinal nerves (also known as recurrent meningeal nerves, sinuvertebral nerves, or recurrent nerves of Luschka) are a number of small nerves that branch from the segmental spinal nerve near the origin of the anterior and posterior rami, but before the
rami communicans
Ramus communicans (plural rami communicantes) is the Latin term used for a nerve which connects two other nerves, and can be translated as "communicating branch".
Structure
When used without further definition, it almost always refers to a commu ...
; rami communicantes are branches which communicate between the spinal nerves and the sympathetic trunk. They then re-enter the
intervertebral foramen
The intervertebral foramen (also called neural foramen, and often abbreviated as IV foramen or IVF) is a foramen between two spinal vertebrae. Cervical, thoracic, and lumbar vertebrae all have intervertebral foramina.
The foramina, or openi ...
, and innervate the
facet joints, the
anulus fibrosus of the
intervertebral disc
An intervertebral disc (or intervertebral fibrocartilage) lies between adjacent vertebrae in the vertebral column. Each disc forms a fibrocartilaginous joint (a symphysis), to allow slight movement of the vertebrae, to act as a ligament to h ...
, and the ligaments and periosteum of the
spinal canal, carrying pain sensation. The
nucleus pulposus of the intervertebral disk has no pain innervation.
References
* Drake RL, Vogl W, Mitchell AWM. ''Gray's Anatomy for Students''. New York: Elsevier; 2005:69-70.
* Ropper AH, Samuels MA. ''Adams and Victor's Principles of Neurology''. Ninth Edition. New York: McGraw Hill; 2009.
*
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