| Dorsal root of spinal nerve | |
|---|---|
 The formation of the spinal nerve from the dorsal and ventral roots | |
| Details | |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | radix posterior nervi spinalis |
| TA98 | A14.2.00.030 |
| TA2 | 6146 |
| FMA | 5980 |
| Anatomical terminology | |
Thedorsal root of spinal nerve (orposterior root of spinal nerve orsensory root)[1] is one of two "roots" which emerge from thespinal cord. It emerges directly from the spinal cord, and travels to thedorsal root ganglion. Nerve fibres with theventral root then combine to form aspinal nerve. The dorsal root transmitssensory information, forming theafferent sensory root of a spinal nerve.
The root emerges from theposterior part of thespinal cord and travels to thedorsal root ganglion. The dorsal root ganglia contain thepseudo-unipolarcell bodies of thenerve fibres which travel from the ganglia through the root into the spinal cord.
Thelateral division of the dorsal root contains lightlymyelinated and unmyelinated fibres of small diameter.[citation needed] These carry pain and temperature sensation. These fibers cross through theanterior white commissure to form theanterolateral system in thelateral funiculus.
The medial division of the dorsal root contains myelinated fibres of larger diameter[citation needed]. These transmit information of discriminative touch, pressure, vibration, and consciousproprioception originating from spinal levelsC2 throughS5. These fibers are pushed in towards the posterior median sulcus to form thegracile fasciculus and the cuneate fasciculus of theposterior column–medial lemniscus pathway.If the dorsal root of a spinal nerve were severed, it would lead to numbness in certain areas of the body.
