Question

Which is not true of the dorsal nerve root?

a. It is also called the posterior root.
b. It includes the spinal ganglion.
c. It includes sensory fibers.
d. All of the above are true about the dorsal nerve root.

Answer 1

The dorsal nerve root is part of the spinal nerves and is primarily responsible for transmitting sensory information to the spinal cord through the dorsal (posterior) root ganglion. It contains sensory axons, not motor neurons, and is essential for the functioning of the sensory nervous system.

Step-by-step explanation:

The dorsal nerve root is primarily associated with sensory input to the spinal cord. Within the dorsal nerve root, you can find the dorsal (posterior) root ganglion, which is a sensory ganglion containing the cell bodies of sensory neurons. The axons from these neurons enter the posterior horn of the spinal cord, carrying sensory information from various parts of the body.

A statement that might be considered untrue about the dorsal nerve root would be that it contains motor neurons or that dendrites provide insulation, as this role is associated with the myelin sheath. Spinal nerves are composed of both sensory and motor axons, where the sensory axons enter the spinal cord through the dorsal nerve root, and the motor axons exit the spinal cord via the ventral nerve root. The spinal cord and spinal nerves play a crucial role in transmitting sensory and motor information throughout the body.