<P> Outside the vertebral column, the nerve divides into branches . The dorsal ramus contains nerves that serve the posterior portions of the trunk carrying visceral motor, somatic motor, and somatic sensory information to and from the skin and muscles of the back (epaxial muscles). The ventral ramus contains nerves that serve the remaining anterior parts of the trunk and the upper and lower limbs (hypaxial muscles) carrying visceral motor, somatic motor, and sensory information to and from the ventrolateral body surface, structures in the body wall, and the limbs . The meningeal branches (recurrent meningeal or sinuvertebral nerves) branch from the spinal nerve and re-enter the intervertebral foramen to serve the ligaments, dura, blood vessels, intervertebral discs, facet joints, and periosteum of the vertebrae . The rami communicantes contain autonomic nerves that serve visceral functions carrying visceral motor and sensory information to and from the visceral organs . </P> <P> Some anterior rami merge with adjacent anterior rami to form a nerve plexus, a network of interconnecting nerves . Nerves emerging from a plexus contain fibers from various spinal nerves, which are now carried together to some target location . Major plexuses include the cervical, brachial, lumbar, and sacral plexuses . </P> <P> The cervical nerves are the spinal nerves from the cervical vertebrae in the cervical segment of the spinal cord . Although there are seven cervical vertebrae (C1 - C7), there are eight cervical nerves C1--C8 . All cervical nerves except C8 emerge above their corresponding vertebrae, while the C8 nerve emerges below the C7 vertebra . Elsewhere in the spine, the nerve emerges below the vertebra with the same name . </P> <P> The posterior distribution includes the suboccipital nerve (C1), the greater occipital nerve (C2) and the third occipital nerve (C3). The anterior distribution includes the cervical plexus (C1 - C4) and brachial plexus (C5 - T1). </P>

Why 7 cervical vertebrae and 8 cervical nerves
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