Skip to main content
Ch. 12 The Central Nervous System
Hoehn - Marieb Human Anatomy & Physiology, 12th edition
Hoehn, Haynes, Abbott12th EditionMarieb Human Anatomy & PhysiologyISBN: 9780138242732Not the one you use?Change textbook
All textbooksHoehn, Haynes, Abbott 12th EditionCh. 12 The Central Nervous SystemProblem 5
Chapter 12, Problem 5

Destruction of the ventral horn cells of the spinal cord results in loss of
a. Integrating impulses
b. Sensory impulses
c. Voluntary motor impulses
d. All of these

Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Understand the anatomy of the spinal cord, focusing on the ventral horn. The ventral horn contains the cell bodies of motor neurons responsible for sending voluntary motor impulses from the spinal cord to the muscles.
Step 2: Recognize the function of the ventral horn cells. These cells are primarily involved in motor output, meaning they transmit signals that cause muscle contraction and voluntary movement.
Step 3: Differentiate between the roles of the ventral horn and other parts of the spinal cord. The dorsal horn primarily processes sensory information, while the ventral horn is involved in motor control.
Step 4: Analyze the consequences of destruction of ventral horn cells. Since these cells are motor neurons, their loss would result in the inability to send voluntary motor impulses, leading to muscle weakness or paralysis.
Step 5: Conclude that the destruction of ventral horn cells results in loss of voluntary motor impulses, corresponding to option c.

Verified video answer for a similar problem:

This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above.
Video duration:
1m
Was this helpful?

Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Ventral Horn of the Spinal Cord

The ventral horn is the front part of the spinal cord's gray matter containing motor neurons that send signals to skeletal muscles. It plays a crucial role in initiating voluntary motor movements by transmitting impulses from the central nervous system to muscles.
Recommended video:
2:14
Sympathetic Nervous System Example 4

Motor Neurons and Voluntary Motor Impulses

Motor neurons located in the ventral horn carry voluntary motor impulses from the spinal cord to muscles, enabling conscious movement. Damage to these neurons disrupts the transmission of motor commands, leading to muscle weakness or paralysis.
Recommended video:
4:31
Primary Motor Cortex & Primary Somatosensory Cortex

Sensory vs. Motor Pathways in the Spinal Cord

Sensory impulses enter the spinal cord through the dorsal horn, while motor impulses exit via the ventral horn. Therefore, destruction of ventral horn cells affects motor output but does not directly impair sensory input or integration of impulses.
Recommended video:
1:34
Organization of Sensory Pathways Example 2
Related Practice
Textbook Question

Cerebrospinal fluid is formed by

a. Arachnoid granulations

b. Dura mater

c. Choroid plexuses

d. All of these

8
views
Textbook Question

Fiber tracts that allow neurons within the same cerebral hemisphere to communicate are:

a. Association fibers

b. Commissures

c. Projection fibers

1
views
Textbook Question

A professor unexpectedly blew a loud horn in his anatomy and physiology class. The students looked up, startled. The reflexive movements of their eyes were mediated by the:

a. Cerebral cortex

b. Inferior olives

c. Raphe nuclei

d. Superior colliculi

e. Nucleus gracilis

Textbook Question

The innermost layer of the meninges, delicate and adjacent to the brain tissue, is the

a. Dura mater

b. Corpus callosum

c. Arachnoid mater

d. Pia mater

1
views
Textbook Question

Choose the correct term from the key to respond to the statements describing various brain areas.

Key:

a. Cerebellum

b. Corpora quadrigemina

c. Corpus callosum

d. Striatum

e. Hypothalamus

f. Medulla

g. Midbrain

h. Pons

i. Thalamus 

________ (1) basal nuclei involved in fine control of motor activities  

________ (2) region where there is a crossover of fibers of descending pyramidal tracts  

________ (3) control of temperature, autonomic nervous system reflexes, hunger, and water balance 

________ (4) houses the substantia nigra and cerebral aqueduct 

________ (5) relay stations for visual and auditory stimuli input; found in midbrain 

________ (6) houses vital centers for control of the heart, respiration, and blood pressure 

________ (7) brain area through which all the sensory input is relayed to get to the cerebral cortex 

________ (8) brain area most concerned with equilibrium, body posture, and coordination of motor activity

Textbook Question

a. What is the function of the basal nuclei?

b. Which basal nuclei form the striatum?

c. Which arches over the diencephalon?