Anterior atlantooccipital membrane

{{Infobox anatomy

| Name = Anterior atlantooccipital membrane

| Latin = membrana atlantooccipitalis anterior

| Image = Gray304.png

| Caption = Anterior atlantooccipital membrane and atlantoaxial ligament

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| System =

| Precursor =

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The anterior atlantooccipital membrane (anterior atlantooccipital ligament{{Citation needed|date=August 2023}}) is a broad, dense{{Cite book |last=Standring |first=Susan |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1201341621 |title=Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice |year=2020 |isbn=978-0-7020-7707-4 |edition=42th |location=New York |pages=840 |oclc=1201341621}} membrane extending between the anterior margin of the foramen magnum (superiorly), and (the superior margin of{{Cite book |last=Sinnatamby |first=Chummy |title=Last's Anatomy |publisher= Elsevier Australia|year=2011 |isbn=978-0-7295-3752-0 |edition=12th |pages=426}}) the anterior arch of atlas (inferiorly).{{Cite book |last1=Moore |first1=Keith L. |title=Clinically Oriented Anatomy |last2=Dalley |first2=Arthur F. |last3=Agur |first3=Anne M. R. |publisher=Wolters Kluwer |year=2018 |isbn=978-1-4963-4721-3 |edition=8th |location= |pages=99}}

The membrane helps limit excessive movement at the atlanto-occipital joints.