Question

The cervical spinal roots C3, C4, C5 send signals to the _______________.

a) Phrenic nerve
b) Brachial plexus
c) Sciatic nerve
d) Vagus nerve

Answer 1

The cervical spinal roots C3, C4, C5 send signals to the phrenic nerve, which innervates the diaphragm and is crucial for breathing.

Step-by-step explanation:

The cervical spinal roots C3, C4, C5 send signals to the phrenic nerve. The cervical plexus is composed of axons from spinal nerves C1 through C5, which branch into various nerves including the phrenic nerve. The phrenic nerve is crucial as it innervates the diaphragm, which is essential for breathing. While the other cervical spinal nerves, specifically C4 through T1, form the brachial plexus and are responsible for the innervation of the arm, the C3, C4, and C5 levels are specifically key contributors to the phrenic nerve that leads to the diaphragm.