Dorsal horn

Dorsal horn is a region at the rear of the spinal cord that receives several types of sensory information from the body, including fine touch, proprioception, and vibration. This information is sent to the brain via various ascending pathways.

Anatomy

The dorsal horn is one of the grey matter areas of the spinal cord. It is located at the back of the spinal cord, and it extends from the cervical to the sacral regions. The dorsal horn is divided into several layers, or laminae, each of which has a different function.

Function

The primary function of the dorsal horn is to process sensory information sent from the body and transmit it to the brain. This includes information about fine touch, proprioception (the sense of the relative position of one's own parts of the body), and vibration.

Clinical significance

Damage to the dorsal horn can lead to a variety of sensory deficits, including loss of fine touch and proprioception. It can also result in chronic pain conditions, as the dorsal horn is involved in the transmission of pain signals to the brain.

See also

• Spinal cord
• Grey matter
• Proprioception
• Chronic pain

References

Dorsal horn Resources
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