The ventral horn primarily contains cell bodies of which neurons?

The ventral horn primarily contains cell bodies of which neurons?

• A. Motor neurons
• B. Interneurons
• C. Sensory neurons
• D. Autonomic postganglionic neurons

Answer: (A)

Spinal cord gray matter is organized so that motor and sensory functions map to different regions. The ventral (anterior) horn houses the cell bodies of somatic motor neurons, which send their axons out through the ventral roots to innervate skeletal muscles and drive voluntary and reflex movements. In contrast, sensory processing occurs in the dorsal horn, and the cell bodies of sensory neurons are located in the dorsal root ganglia outside the spinal cord. Autonomic postganglionic neurons sit in autonomic ganglia, not in the ventral horn. So the ventral horn is the main location for motor neuron cell bodies.

Spinal cord gray matter is organized so that motor and sensory functions map to different regions. The ventral (anterior) horn houses the cell bodies of somatic motor neurons, which send their axons out through the ventral roots to innervate skeletal muscles and drive voluntary and reflex movements. In contrast, sensory processing occurs in the dorsal horn, and the cell bodies of sensory neurons are located in the dorsal root ganglia outside the spinal cord. Autonomic postganglionic neurons sit in autonomic ganglia, not in the ventral horn. So the ventral horn is the main location for motor neuron cell bodies.