Dorsal root

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Dorsal root

The formation of the spinal nerve from the dorsal and ventral roots
Latin	radix posterior
Gray's	subject #208 916
MeSH	Dorsal+Roots
Dorlands/Elsevier	r_12/12709389

In anatomy and neurology, the dorsal root (or posterior root) is the afferent sensory root of a spinal nerve.

At the distal end of the dorsal root is the dorsal root ganglion, which contains the neuron cell bodies of the nerve fibres conveyed by the root.

If the dorsal root of a spinal nerve were severed it would lead to numbness in certain areas of the body.

Additional images

Cervical vertebra
Medulla spinalis
The mechanism of the reflex arc
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.

SUNY Figs 02:04-06 - "Superior view of a section through the spinal cord within the vertebral foramen."
Anatomy Atlases - Microscopic Anatomy, plate 06.114 - "Spinal Root Nerve Fibers"

v • d • e

Anatomy of torso (primarily): the spinal cord

Dorsal (Root, Ganglion, Ramus) • Ventral (Root, Ramus) • Sympathetic trunk • rami communicantes (Gray, White)

somatic/ascending (blue)	Posterior/PCML: touch: Gracilis • Cuneatus Lateral: proprioception: Spinocerebellar (Dorsal, Ventral) • pain/temp: Spinothalamic (Lateral, Anterior) • Posterolateral (Lissauer) • Spinotectal
motor/descending (red)	Lateral: Corticospinal (Lateral) • Ep (Rubrospinal, Olivospinal) Anterior: Corticospinal (Anterior) • Ep (Vestibulospinal, Reticulospinal, Tectospinal)