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Glite Dictionary
accessory nerve

accessory nerve

1 7.7
A nerve that controls some neck and shoulder muscles
  • noun
  • /əkˈsɛsəri nɜrv/
  • Specialized
translation icon : nervio accesorio
  • During surgery, the surgeon carefully avoided the accessory nerve to prevent complications with neck movement.
  • spinal accessory nerve

Examples

  • However, information is limited on electrophysiologic monitoring of the spinal accessory nerve (SAN) during modified radical neck dissection.

    Academic text (2006)

  • Damage to the accessory nerve can lead to weakness in turning the head and lifting the shoulders.

  • The accessory nerve is responsible for the movement of the trapezius muscle in the shoulder.

Synonyms

spinal accessory
vsaccessory nerve
  • Specialized
1 7.9

A nerve that controls some muscles in the neck and shoulder

is the same structure but often referred to by its numbered name
eleventh cranial nerve
vsaccessory nerve
  • Specialized
7.4

A nerve that helps move the head and lift the shoulder

is the same nerve but named differently in terminology
nervus accessorius
vsaccessory nerve
  • Specialized
9.3

A nerve from the head and spine that controls neck and shoulder muscles

is identical in meaning but given in the English term

Surface Forms

accessory nerve singular
accessory nerves plural

Morphology

accessory + nerve

The term is compositionally interpretable: a learner who knows 'accessory' (auxiliary, secondary) and 'nerve' will understand it denotes a supporting or secondary nerve, so basic sense is inferable. However, the precise anatomical identity and detailed function (that it is the eleventh cranial nerve with cranial and spinal roots controlling specific neck/shoulder muscles) require medical knowledge and are not predictable from the constituents alone, so it is only partially transparent.

Etymology

The term accessory nerve uses accessory to mean a small 'helper' and nerve for the body 'wire' that sends signals to muscles. Because this nerve comes from both the brain and the spine and works with other nerves to move the neck and shoulders, it is seen as the 'helper' nerve that supports those movements.