Question

Where are the cell bodies for pain afferents from the testis located, and what kind of fibers do they follow?

A) Hypothalamus - A-delta fibers
B) Dorsal root ganglia - C fibers
C) Spinal cord - A-delta fibers
D) Brainstem - B fibers

Answer 1

The cell bodies of pain afferents from the testis are located in the dorsal root ganglia, and they follow C fibers into the spinal cord.

Step-by-step explanation:

The cell bodies for pain afferents from the testis are located in the dorsal root ganglia, and these fibers are typically C fibers. The dorsal root ganglion contains unipolar neurons, which have their cell bodies located outside the central nervous system. From this ganglion, sensory neurons extend their axons through the dorsal nerve root into the spinal cord. As it pertains to pain and temperature sensation, this aligns with the fibers of the spinothalamic tract, which typically includes C fibers that convey pain, temperature, and other rudimentary sensory modalities. The spinothalamic tract decussates at the level of entry into the spinal cord and ascends contralaterally.