Patterns of attachment of the myodural bridge by the rectus capitis posterior minor muscle

Anat Sci Int. 2016 Mar;91(2):175-9. doi: 10.1007/s12565-015-0282-1. Epub 2015 Apr 10.

Abstract

The myodural bridge was first described by Hack in 1995 and was thought to be related to chronic cervicogenic headaches. For a long time, few studies revealed the patterns of the myodural bridge considering the rectus capitis posterior minor muscle. In this study, P45 plastination technology and anatomical dissection were performed on head specimens, and four different terminal region types of the rectus capitis posterior minor muscle were observed, including the posterior atlanto-occipital interspace, posterior arch of the atlas and posterior atlanto-axial interspace. We propose that the myodural complex structures in the posterior atlanto-occipital and posterior atlanto-axial interspace have cooperative effects on cerebrospinal fluid and work together. This force might be an important source for the circulation of cerebrospinal fluid.

Keywords: Chronic cervicogenic headache; Circulation of cerebrospinal fluid; Myodural bridge; Plastination technology; Rectus capitis posterior minor muscle.

MeSH terms

  • Cerebrospinal Fluid / physiology
  • Dissection / methods
  • Head*
  • Humans
  • Muscle, Skeletal / anatomy & histology*
  • Muscle, Skeletal / physiology
  • Neck*
  • Plastic Embedding / methods