Question

In a spinal cord cross section, the posterior _______ of the gray matter resemble the upper wings of a butterfly.

1) dorsal horns
2) ventral horns
3) lateral horns
4) central canal

Answer 1

In a spinal cord cross section, the posterior regions of the gray matter that look like the upper wings of a butterfly are called the dorsal horns, which are associated with sensory processing.

Step-by-step explanation:

In a spinal cord cross section, the posterior regions of the gray matter that resemble the upper wings of a butterfly are known as the dorsal horns. The dorsal horns are responsible for sensory processing, receiving input from sensory neurons and transferring information to other parts of the central nervous system.

Conversely, the ventral horns, sometimes referred to as anterior horns, contain motor neurons that send signals out to the skeletal muscles.

The lateral horns are present only in the thoracic, upper lumbar, and sacral regions of the spinal cord and are associated with the autonomic nervous system.