C_S_D 4430 Lecture Notes - Lecture 20: Dorsal Root Ganglion, Cauda Equina, Coccyx
Document Summary
Dorsal horn: contains the cell bodies of sensory fibers. Ventral horn: contains the cell bodies of motor fibers. Contains both ascending sensory axons and descending motor axons. Each spinal nerve divides into a dorsal and a ventral root near the spinal cord. Dorsal roots carry sensory info to the spinal cord. Ventral roots carry motor info away from the spinal cord. The cell bodies of all sensory cells entering the spinal cord lie outside the cord in a chain of ganglia called the dorsal root ganglia. The cell bodies of motor neurons exiting the spinal cord are located in the ventral horn. The spinal cord ends in the upper lumbar region. The spinal nerves that travel to areas lower in the body are gathered together in the cauda equina ( horsetail ) to travel down through the center of the vertebral column.
