Anterior Roots of Cervical Nerves (Left)

Description

The anterior roots (ventral or motor roots) of the cervical nerves are formed by the union of several anterior rootlets, which arise from the anterior gray horns and emerge from the anterolateral sulci of the cervical spinal cord.

Generally, the anterior roots consist of efferent fibers. These include:

—somatic efferents that convey motor signals from the ventral horn of the spinal cord to their muscular targets in the body;

—general visceral efferent fibers of the sympathetic nervous system that originate from the lateral horn of the spinal cord and travel to various glands, visceral organs, and blood vessels.

The anterior roots typically join their posterior sensory root counterparts to form a mixed spinal nerve, which consists of both motor and sensory nerve fibers.