{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,17]],"date-time":"2026-09-17T20:32:50Z","timestamp":1789677170851,"version":"4.0.1"},"reference-count":28,"publisher":"Journal of Neurosurgery Publishing Group (JNSPG)","issue":"5","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["SPI"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2011,5]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n<jats:title>Object<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>There is conflicting and often anecdotal evidence regarding the potential motor innervation of the trapezius muscle by cervical nerves, with most authors attributing such fibers to proprioception. As knowledge of such potential motor innervations may prove useful to the neurosurgeon, the present study aimed to elucidate this anatomy further.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec>\n<jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>Fifteen adult cadavers (30 sides) underwent dissection of the posterior triangle of the neck and harvesting of cervical nerve fibers found to enter the trapezius muscle. Random fibers were evaluated histologically to determine fiber type (that is, motor vs sensory axons).<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec>\n<jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>In addition to an innervation from the spinal accessory nerve, the authors also identified cervical nerve innervations of all trapezius muscles. For these innervations, 3 sides were found to have fibers derived from C-2 to C-4, 2 sides had fibers derived from C-2 to C-3, and 25 sides had fibers derived from C-3 to C-4. Fibers derived from C-2 to C-4 were classified as a Type I innervation, those from C-2 to C-3 were classified as a Type II innervation, and those from C-3 to C-4 were classified as a Type III innervation. Immunohistochemical analysis of fibers from each of these types confirmed the presence of motor axons.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec>\n<jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>Based on the authors' study, cervical nerves innervate the trapezius muscle with motor fibers. These findings support surgical and clinical experiences in which partial or complete trapezius function is maintained after injury to the spinal accessory nerve. The degree to which these nerves innervate this muscle, however, necessitates further study. Such information may be useful following nerve transfer procedures, denervation techniques for cervical dystonia, or sacrifice of the spinal accessory nerve due to pathological entities.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3171\/2011.1.spine10717","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2011,2,25]],"date-time":"2011-02-25T15:02:42Z","timestamp":1298646162000},"page":"626-629","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":54,"title":["Study of the cervical plexus innervation of the trapezius muscle"],"prefix":"10.3171","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"R. Shane","family":"Tubbs","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Pediatric Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital, Birmingham, Alabama;"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mohammadali M.","family":"Shoja","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Goodman Campbell Brain and Spine, Department of Neurological Surgery, Indiana University;"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Marios","family":"Loukas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Anatomical Sciences, St. George's University, Grenada"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jeffrey","family":"Lancaster","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Pediatric Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital, Birmingham, Alabama;"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Martin M.","family":"Mortazavi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Pediatric Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital, Birmingham, Alabama;"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Eyas M.","family":"Hattab","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Immunohistochemistry Laboratory, Indiana University Health Pathology Laboratory, Indianapolis, Indiana; and"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Aaron A.","family":"Cohen-Gadol","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Goodman Campbell Brain and Spine, Department of Neurological Surgery, Indiana University;"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1754","reference":[{"key":"b1-spine10717","series-title":"Am J Surg","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"796","DOI":"10.1016\/0002-9610(69)90232-3","article-title":"Free grafts of the spinal accessory nerve during radical neck dissection","volume":"118","author":"Anderson","year":"1969"},{"key":"b2-spine10717","series-title":"Laryngoscope","first-page":"827","article-title":"Technique of preserving the spinal accessory nerve during radical neck dissection","volume":"89","author":"Becker","year":"1979"},{"key":"b3-spine10717","series-title":"Ann Surg","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"654","DOI":"10.1097\/00000658-198811000-00019","article-title":"The spinal accessory nerve plexus, the trapezius muscle, and shoulder stabilization after radical neck cancer surgery","volume":"208","author":"Brown","year":"1988"},{"key":"b4-spine10717","series-title":"Acta Otolaryngol","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"470","DOI":"10.3109\/00016488009131750","article-title":"Occurrence, duration and prognosis of unexpected accessory nerve paresis in radical neck dissection","volume":"90","author":"Carenfelt","year":"1980"},{"key":"b5-spine10717","series-title":"J Hand Surg [Br]","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"137","DOI":"10.1054\/jhsb.2000.0487","article-title":"Surgical anatomy of spinal accessory nerve: is trapezius functional deficit inevitable after division of the nerve?","volume":"26","author":"Dailiana","year":"2001"},{"key":"b6-spine10717","series-title":"J Neurol","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"183","DOI":"10.1007\/BF00312559","article-title":"The innervation of the trapezius muscle. 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