Which horn contains sympathetic preganglionic neuron cell bodies?

Which horn contains sympathetic preganglionic neuron cell bodies?

• A. Dorsal horn
• B. Lateral horn
• C. Dorsal median sulcus
• D. Ventral horn

Answer: (B)

Sympathetic preganglionic neuron cell bodies sit in the intermediolateral cell column, located in the lateral horn of the spinal cord. This region, mainly in the thoracic and upper lumbar segments, houses the cell bodies that give rise to the sympathetic outflow. From there, these preganglionic fibers exit through the ventral roots and connect via white rami communicantes to form synapses in paravertebral or prevertebral ganglia. The other horns serve different functions: the dorsal horn processes sensory information, the ventral horn contains motor neurons that control skeletal muscles, and the dorsal median sulcus is just a groove on the spinal surface.

Sympathetic preganglionic neuron cell bodies sit in the intermediolateral cell column, located in the lateral horn of the spinal cord. This region, mainly in the thoracic and upper lumbar segments, houses the cell bodies that give rise to the sympathetic outflow. From there, these preganglionic fibers exit through the ventral roots and connect via white rami communicantes to form synapses in paravertebral or prevertebral ganglia. The other horns serve different functions: the dorsal horn processes sensory information, the ventral horn contains motor neurons that control skeletal muscles, and the dorsal median sulcus is just a groove on the spinal surface.