The ventral horn contains which type of neurons?

The ventral horn contains which type of neurons?

• A. Interneurons
• B. Autonomic multipolar motor neurons
• C. Somatic multipolar motor neurons
• D. Pseudounipolar sensory neurons

Answer: (C)

The ventral horn is the region that shapes the motor output to skeletal muscle. It contains the cell bodies of lower motor neurons that project through the ventral roots to innervate skeletal (somatic) muscles. These neurons are multipolar in structure, with many dendrites to integrate signals from various sources and a single axon to reach the muscle. That’s why somatic multipolar motor neurons fit best here. Autonomic motor neurons are found mainly in the lateral horn (intermediolateral cell column) in some spinal levels, not the ventral horn. Pseudounipolar sensory neurons reside in the dorsal root ganglia, not in the ventral horn. Interneurons are present in spinal gray matter as well, but the ventral horn’s primary role is somatic motor output.

The ventral horn is the region that shapes the motor output to skeletal muscle. It contains the cell bodies of lower motor neurons that project through the ventral roots to innervate skeletal (somatic) muscles. These neurons are multipolar in structure, with many dendrites to integrate signals from various sources and a single axon to reach the muscle. That’s why somatic multipolar motor neurons fit best here.

Autonomic motor neurons are found mainly in the lateral horn (intermediolateral cell column) in some spinal levels, not the ventral horn. Pseudounipolar sensory neurons reside in the dorsal root ganglia, not in the ventral horn. Interneurons are present in spinal gray matter as well, but the ventral horn’s primary role is somatic motor output.