| Interspinous ligament | |
|---|---|
 Mediansagittal section of twolumbar vertebrae and theirligaments (interspinous ligament visible at center right) | |
| Details | |
| From | Spinous process ofvertebra |
| To | Spinous process ofvertebra |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | ligamenta interspinalia |
| TA98 | A03.2.01.002 |
| TA2 | 1674 |
| FMA | 71392 |
| Anatomical terminology | |
Theinterspinous ligaments (interspinal ligaments) are thin, membranousligaments that connect adjoiningspinous processes of thevertebra in thespine.[1][2] They take the form of relatively weak sheets of fibrous tissue and are well developed only in the lumbar region.[3]
They extend from the root to the apex of each spinous process. They meet theligamenta flava anteriorly,[4][better source needed] and blend with thesupraspinous ligament[3] posteriorly at the apexes of the spinal processes. The function of the interspinous ligaments is to limit ventralflexion of the spine and sliding movement of the vertebrae.[5]
The ligaments are narrow and elongated in thethoracic region. They are broader, thicker, and quadrilateral in form in thelumbar region. They are only slightly developed in theneck;[1] in the neck, they are often considered part of thenuchal ligament.[4][better source needed]
This article incorporates text in thepublic domain frompage 291 of the 20th edition ofGray's Anatomy(1918)
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