The root emerges from the
posterior part of the
spinal cord and travels to the
dorsal root ganglion. The dorsal root ganglia contain the
pseudo-unipolar cell bodies of the
nerve fibres which travel from the ganglia through the root into the spinal cord. The
lateral division of the dorsal root contains lightly
myelinated and unmyelinated fibres of small diameter. These carry pain and temperature sensation. These fibers cross through the
anterior white commissure to form the
anterolateral system in the
lateral funiculus. The medial division of the dorsal root contains myelinated fibres of larger diameter. These transmit information of discriminative touch, pressure, vibration, and conscious
proprioception originating from spinal levels
C2 through
S5. These fibers are pushed in towards the posterior median sulcus to form the
gracile fasciculus and the cuneate fasciculus of the
posterior column–medial lemniscus pathway. If the dorsal root of a spinal nerve were severed, it would lead to numbness in certain areas of the body. ==Additional images==