Anatomy

Spinal Nerve Roots

Paired bundles of NERVE FIBERS entering and leaving the SPINAL CORD at each segment. The dorsal and ventral nerve roots join to form the mixed segmental spinal nerves. The dorsal roots are generally afferent, formed by the central projections of the spinal (dorsal root) ganglia sensory cells, and the ventral roots are efferent, comprising the axons of spinal motor and PREGANGLIONIC AUTONOMIC FIBERS.

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

Paired bundles of NERVE FIBERS entering and leaving the SPINAL CORD at each segment. The dorsal and ventral nerve roots join to form the mixed segmental spinal nerves. The dorsal roots are generally afferent, formed by the central projections of the spinal (dorsal root) ganglia sensory cells, and the ventral roots are efferent, comprising the axons of spinal motor and PREGANGLIONIC AUTONOMIC FIBERS.

MeSH Record

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Synonyms

17 entry terms
  • Spinal Roots
  • Nerve Root, Spinal
  • Nerve Roots, Spinal
  • Root, Spinal
  • Root, Spinal Nerve
  • Roots, Spinal
  • Roots, Spinal Nerve
  • Spinal Nerve Root
  • Spinal Root
  • Dorsal Roots
  • Ventral Roots
  • Dorsal Root
  • Root, Dorsal
  • Root, Ventral
  • Roots, Dorsal
  • Roots, Ventral
  • Ventral Root

MeSH Record

Aspects Covered

22 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings abnormalities, anatomy & histology, blood supply, chemistry, cytology, diagnostic imaging, drug effects, embryology, enzymology, growth & development, immunology, injuries, metabolism, microbiology, parasitology, pathology, physiology, physiopathology, radiation effects, surgery, ultrastructure, virology.

MeSH Record

Indexing Annotation

/surg: consider RHIZOTOMY; DORSAL ROOT GANGLIA see GANGLIA, SPINAL is also available; inflammation = RADICULITIS (single root) or POLYRADICULITIS (several roots) or POLYRADICULONEURITIS (nerve roots & peripheral nerves); do not use vertebra headings to locate area of spinal nerves; nerve root compression: coordinate IM with NERVE COMPRESSION SYNDROMES (IM), not SPINAL CORD COMPRESSION

MeSH Record

History Note

73(70)

MeSH Record

Previous Indexing

  • Spinal Nerves (1966-1969)

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Number

  1. A08w.800w.800w.720w.725w

MeSH Record

NLM Classification

WL 400

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Spinal Nerve Roots. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D013126. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D013126
  2. Spinal Nerve Roots. In: Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spinal_nerve_root
  3. Spinal Nerve Roots. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q16880232