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The ventral roots are formed by the axons of motor (efferent) neurons found in the ventral and lateral horns of the spinal cord. The lateral horns are related to the autonomic nervous system and will be covered in that learning module. The axons of the ventral horn cells (sometimes referred to as anterior horn cells) exit the spinal cord as multiple ventral rootlets that coalesce to form the ventral roots of the spinal nerves. The spinal nerves then distribute regionally by way of dorsal and ventral primary rami. The ventral horn cell axons traveling in the dorsal ramus innervate the skeletal muscle forming the true (paraspinal) back muscles. Those axons traveling in the ventral ramus innervate the skeletal muscle of the limbs and trunk.
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