What do dorsal rami supply

They run through or beneath the Longissimus dorsi to the interval between it and the Iliocostales, and supply these muscles; the lower five or six also give off cutaneous branches which pierce the Serratus posterior inferior and Latissimus dorsi in a line with the angles of the ribs. The lateral branches of a variable number of the upper thoracic nerves also give filaments to the skin.

The lateral branch of the twelfth thoracic, after sending a filament medialward along the iliac crest, passes downward to the skin of the buttock. The posterior cutaneous branches medial cutaneous branches of the posterior divisions of the thoracic nerves descend for some distance close to the spinous processes before reaching the skin, while the lateral branches travel downward for a considerable distance—it may be as much as the breadth of four ribs—before they become superficial; the branch from the twelfth thoracic, for instance, reaches the skin only a little way above the iliac crest.

This definition incorporates text from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy 20th U. Subscribe now Discover our subscription plans Subscribe. Manage cookies Accept. Cookie settings. Essential technical cookies Description. Analytics cookies Description. Google Analytics. Dorsal Rami. Functions — Innervations Dorsal rami of spinal nerves in human anatomy Cervical zone Thoracic zone Lumbar zone Sacral zone Coccygeal zone. Dorsal Rami — Cervical Zone.

Dorsal Rami — Thoracic Zone. Dorsal Rami — Sacral Zone. Rate this Article: 49 votes, average: 4. By Dr. The posterior ramus carries information that supplies muscles and sensation to the human back. Structure: Shortly after a spinal nerve exits the intervertebral foramen, it branches into the posterior ramus, anterior ramus, and rami communicantes. Each of these carries both sensory and motor information. After it is formed, the posterior ramus plural: rami of each spinal nerve is travels backward, except for the first cervical, the fourth and fifth sacral, and the coccygeal.

Posterior rami divide into medial and lateral branches which supply muscles and skin of the back. The medial branch Latin: rami medialis also supplies articular branches to the zygopophyseal joints and the periosteum of the vertebral arch.

In the neck and upper back, the medial branch continues through the deep and superficial back muscles to supply overlying skin; in the lower back, the lateral branch does this.