[TA] prevertebral muscle of neck; medial part: origin, the bodies of the third thoracic to the fifth cervical vertebrae; insertion, the bodies of the second to fourth cervical vertebrae; superolateral part: origin, the anterior tubercles of the transverse processes of the third to fifth cervical vertebrae; insertion, the anterior tubercle of the atlas; inferolateral part: origin, the bodies of the first to third thoracic vertebrae; insertion, the anterior tubercles of the transverse processes of the fifth and sixth cervical vertebrae; action, for all three parts, twist neck and flex neck anteriorly; nerve supply, for all three parts, ventral primary rami of cervical spinal nerves (cervical plexus). SYN: musculus longus colli [TA], long muscle of neck.