Dorsal root

Dorsal root is a branch of a spinal nerve that connects directly to the spinal cord. It carries sensory information from the body to the spinal cord. The dorsal root, along with the ventral root, forms a spinal nerve, which is part of the peripheral nervous system.

Anatomy

The dorsal root is one of two "roots" of a spinal nerve that join together to form a single nerve. The other root is the ventral root. The dorsal root carries sensory information, including touch, pain, and temperature, from the body to the spinal cord. The ventral root carries motor information from the spinal cord to the body.

The dorsal root has a swelling, called the dorsal root ganglion, which contains the cell bodies of the sensory neurons. The axons of these neurons enter the spinal cord and synapse with neurons in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord.

Function

The primary function of the dorsal root is to carry sensory information from the body to the spinal cord. This information includes touch, pain, temperature, and proprioception (the sense of the position and movement of the body).

The dorsal root is also involved in the reflex arc, a neural pathway that controls an automatic response to a stimulus. In a reflex arc, sensory information is carried by the dorsal root to the spinal cord, where it synapses with a motor neuron. The motor neuron then sends a signal back to the body via the ventral root, causing a muscle to contract or a gland to secrete.

Clinical significance

Damage to the dorsal root can cause sensory loss, including loss of touch, pain, temperature, and proprioception. This can result in numbness, tingling, or weakness in the affected area.

Dorsal root ganglion stimulation is a type of neuromodulation therapy that is used to treat chronic pain. It involves implanting a device that sends electrical signals to the dorsal root ganglion, which can help to block pain signals.

See also

• Spinal cord
• Spinal nerve
• Ventral root
• Dorsal root ganglion
• Reflex arc
• Neuromodulation

Dorsal root Resources
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