01 / Location & anatomical relationships
Above your neck, at the top of your body.
02 / Structure & organization
The head contains the cranial cavity and facial skeleton, as well as the oral, nasal and orbital spaces. Its tissues include bone, skeletal muscle, skin, vessels and specialized sensory organs. The skull base contains openings through which the spinal cord, cranial nerves and major vessels pass.
03 / Function
Your skull protects the brain inside your head.
04 / Mechanism
Your head brings several sensing tools close to your brain. Eyes collect light, ears respond to sound, and your nose detects smells. Bones form a protective case, while neck muscles let you turn toward something interesting.
Part of a bigger picture
The head belongs in our head & face collection. Explore the nearby parts to see how this area of the body fits together.
Explore head & face →FOR DEEPER STUDY
Connect structure with function
Distinguish the head as a region from the brain as an organ. Sensory pathways entering the brain and motor pathways leaving it explain why a small region contains many functionally different structures.
Check your understanding
Locate the head in relation to its neighbors. Explain how the structural features described above support its function, then distinguish it from a nearby structure with a different role.
Keep learning
Continue with OpenStax Anatomy and Physiology for system-level study. This atlas is educational and has not undergone independent medical peer review.