The two alar ligaments extend from the dens and pass supero-laterally inserting in to the medial aspect of the occipital condyles. They prevent excessive rotation of the neck.
The apical ligament is a weak midline ligament that arises from the apex of the odontoid process and inserts into the anterior margin of the foramen magnum. It is a remnant of the notochord.
The cruciform ligament has two components - a weak longitudinal ligament and the stronger transverse ligament running between the two lateral masses of the atlas. They act together to hold the odontoid process against the anterior arch of the atlas while allowing rotation.
The ligamentum nuchae is an extension of the supraspinous ligament.
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