Spinal nerves are organized into plexuses named after the vertebrae to which they connect. How many cervical spinal nerve pairs are there?

• A. 1
• B. 12
• C. 8
• D. 5

Answer: (C)

The number being tested is how many cervical spinal nerve pairs exist, and the neck region is unique because it has eight cervical nerves even though there are only seven cervical vertebrae. This happens because the eighth nerve (C8) exits below the seventh cervical vertebra, between C7 and T1, while the other cervical nerves (C1–C7) exit in relation to the corresponding vertebrae above or near their level. So you have C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, C6, C7, and C8, making eight cervical nerve pairs in total. The thoracic, lumbar, and sacral regions follow the more straightforward pattern of one nerve per vertebra, which is why eight is the correct count here.