Final answer:
The ventral (anterior) nerve root is the nerve root that leaves the spinal cord toward the front of the body, containing motor fibers. In contrast, the dorsal (posterior) nerve root contains sensory axons that enter the spinal cord.
Step-by-step explanation:
The nerve root which leaves the cord toward the front of the body is the ventral (anterior) nerve root. In the structure of the spinal cord, axons emerge from the anterior or lateral horns as part of the ventral nerve root. These roots contain motor fibers, which can be both somatic and autonomic, that exit the spinal cord and extend to various parts of the body. Conversely, the dorsal (posterior) nerve root contains sensory axons that enter the spinal cord, usually noted at the posterolateral sulcus on either side.
In the context of the central nervous system (CNS), the ventricles are the remnants of the hollow center of the neural tube that serve as spaces for cerebrospinal fluid to circulate through the brain. Understanding the distinction between ventral and dorsal roots, and their respective functions in sensory and motor signaling, is fundamental in neurobiology and medicine.