What is the name of the hole through which the spinal cord passes?

The hole through which the spinal cord passes is called the foramen magnum. This large opening is located at the base of the skull and connects the cranial cavity with the spinal canal, allowing the continuation of the spinal cord as it exits the brain. The foramen magnum is a key anatomical structure because it serves as a critical junction between the central nervous system housed in the skull and the spinal nerves that extend down the vertebral column.

In the context of the other terms: the spinal foramen typically refers to the space within each vertebra through which the spinal cord travels, often used to describe a specific section rather than the primary opening at the skull's base. The vertebral foramen is the collective term for the openings formed by the stacked vertebrae which encase the spinal cord. The intervertebral foramen, on the other hand, are the openings between the adjacent vertebrae that allow spinal nerves to exit the spinal canal, but they are not where the spinal cord itself passes. Each of these terms describes different aspects or locations related to the spinal cord and vertebrae, while the foramen magnum specifically denotes the crucial entry point into the vertebral foramen from the cranial cavity.