Dorsal root 2848847 206153492 2008-04-17T01:47:10Z Shunju-kun 6329475 interwiki {{Infobox Anatomy | Name = {{PAGENAME}} | Latin = radix posterior | GraySubject = 208 | GrayPage = 916 | Image = spinal nerve.svg | Caption = The formation of the spinal nerve from the dorsal and ventral roots | Image2 = | Caption2 = | System = | Precursor = | MeshName = Dorsal+Roots | MeshNumber = A08.800.800.720.725| DorlandsPre = r_12 | DorlandsSuf = 12709389 | }} In [[anatomy]] and [[neurology]], the '''dorsal root''' (or '''posterior root''') is the [[afferent nerve|afferent]] [[somatosensory system|sensory]] root of a [[spinal nerve]]. At the distal end of the dorsal root is the [[dorsal root ganglion]], which contains the [[neuron]] cell bodies of the [[nerve]] fibres conveyed by the root. If the dorsal root of a spinal nerve were severed it would lead to numbness in certain areas of the body. ==Additional images== <gallery> Image:Cervical vertebra english.png|Cervical vertebra Image:Medulla spinalis - Section - English.svg|Medulla spinalis Image:ReflexArc1.jpg|The mechanism of the reflex arc Image:Gray675.png|A spinal nerve with its anterior and posterior roots. Image:Gray759.png|The sensory tract. Image:Gray770.png|Diagrammatic transverse section of the medulla spinalis and its membranes. Image:Gray796.png|A portion of the spinal cord, showing its right lateral surface. The dura is opened and arranged to show the nerve roots. Image:Gray799.svg|Scheme showing structure of a typical spinal nerve. </gallery> ==See also== * [[Ventral root]] ==External links== * {{SUNYAnatomyFigs|02|04|06}} - "Superior view of a section through the spinal cord within the [[vertebral foramen]]." * {{AnatomyAtlasesMicroscopic|06|114}} - "Spinal Root Nerve Fibers" {{neuroscience-stub}} {{Spinal cord}} [[Category:Nervous system]] [[category:back anatomy]] [[ja:後根]]