What is the difference between the dorsal and ventral roots of the spinal nerves?

Learn about this topic in these articles:

ganglia

• In ganglion

  …system) are present in the ventral root ganglia.

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nerves

• In nerve

  …root is sensory and the ventral root motor; the first cervical nerve may lack the dorsal root. Oval swellings, the spinal ganglia, characterize the dorsal roots. They are formed of nerve cells that give rise to the sensory nerve fibres. The fibres of the ventral roots derive from cells in…

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spinal cord structure

• In human nervous system: The spinal cord

  …furnishes one dorsal and one ventral root. On this basis the spinal cord is divided into the following segments: 8 cervical (C), 12 thoracic (T), 5 lumbar (L), 5 sacral (S), and 1 coccygeal (Coc). Spinal nerve roots emerge via intervertebral foramina; lumbar and sacral spinal roots, descending for some…

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Dorsal root of spinal nerveDetailsIdentifiersLatinTA98TA2FMA

The formation of the spinal nerve from the dorsal and ventral roots

radix posterior nervi spinalis

A14.2.00.030

6146

5980

Anatomical terminology [edit on Wikidata]

The dorsal root of spinal nerve (or posterior root of spinal nerve or sensory root)[1] is one of two "roots" which emerge from the spinal cord. It emerges directly from the spinal cord, and travels to the dorsal root ganglion. Nerve fibres with the ventral root then combine to form a spinal nerve. The dorsal root transmits sensory information, forming the afferent sensory root of a spinal nerve.

Contents

• 1 Structure
• 2 Additional images
• 3 See also
• 4 References
• 5 External links

Structure[edit]

The root emerges from the posterior part of the spinal cord and travels to the dorsal root ganglion. The dorsal root ganglia contain the pseudo-unipolar cell bodies of the nerve fibres which travel from the ganglia through the root into the spinal cord.

The lateral division of the dorsal root contains lightly myelinated and unmyelinated fibres of small diameter[citation needed]. These carry pain and temperature sensation. These fibers cross through the anterior white commissure to form the anterolateral system in the lateral funiculus.

The medial division of the dorsal root contains myelinated fibres of larger diameter[citation needed]. These transmit information of discriminative touch, pressure, vibration, and conscious proprioception originating from spinal levels C2 through S5. These fibers are pushed in towards the posterior median sulcus to form the gracile fasciculus and the cuneate fasciculus of the posterior column–medial lemniscus pathway. If the dorsal root of a spinal nerve were severed it would lead to numbness in certain areas of the body.

Additional images[edit]

• Cervical vertebra

• Medulla spinalis

• A spinal nerve with its anterior and posterior roots.

• The sensory tract.

• Diagrammatic transverse section of the medulla spinalis and its membranes.

• A portion of the spinal cord, showing its right lateral surface. The dura is opened and arranged to show the nerve roots.

• Scheme showing structure of a typical spinal nerve.

See also[edit]

• Ventral root

References[edit]

1. ^ "Spinal Nerves - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics". www.sciencedirect.com. Retrieved 2021-05-06.

External links[edit]

• Anatomy figure: 02:04-06 at Human Anatomy Online, SUNY Downstate Medical Center - "Superior view of a section through the spinal cord within the vertebral foramen."
• Anatomy Atlases - Microscopic Anatomy, plate 06.114 - "Spinal Root Nerve Fibers"
• Dorsal Root - Cell Centered Database

• v
• t
• e

Nervous tissue

CNSPNSNeurons/
nerve fibersTermination

Tissue TypesCell Types Grey matter White matter Projection fibers Association fiber Commissural fiber Lemniscus Nerve tract Decussation Neuropil Meninges NeuronalGlial Pyramidal Purkinje Granule Spindle Medium spiny Interneuron Astrocyte Ependymal cells Tanycyte Microglia Oligodendrocyte Oligodendrocyte progenitor cell

GeneralConnective tissuesNeuroglia Dorsal Root Ganglion Ramus Ventral Root Ramus Ramus communicans Gray White Autonomic ganglion (Preganglionic nerve fibers Postganglionic nerve fibers) Nerve fascicle Funiculus Epineurium Perineurium Endoneurium Myelination: Schwann cell Neurilemma Myelin incisure Node of Ranvier Internodal segment Satellite glial cell

PartsTypesAfferent nerve fiber/ Sensory neuronEfferent nerve fiber/ Motor neuron SomaAxonDendrite Axon hillock Telodendron Axon terminals Axoplasm Axolemma Neurofibril/neurofilament Nissl body Dendritic spine Apical dendrite/Basal dendrite Bipolar Unipolar Pseudounipolar Multipolar Interneuron Renshaw GSA GVA SSA SVA fibers Ia or Aα Ib or Golgi or Aα II or Aβ and Aγ III or Aδ or fast pain IV or C or slow pain GSE GVE SVE Upper motor neuron Lower motor neuron α motorneuron β motorneuron γ motorneuron

SynapseSensory receptors Electrical synapse/Gap junction Chemical synapse Synaptic vesicle Active zone Postsynaptic density Autapse Ribbon synapse Neuromuscular junction Meissner's corpuscle Merkel nerve ending Pacinian corpuscle Ruffini ending Muscle spindle Free nerve ending Nociceptor Olfactory receptor neuron Photoreceptor cell Hair cell Taste receptor

Authority control: Scientific databases

Terminologia Anatomica

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