Spinal Cord Neural Pathways and Reflex Arc

Vocabulary flashcards covering the key structures, pathways, and anatomical sides of the spinal cord neural circuit diagram.

Receptive field

The sensory region where stimulus detection occurs and signals are initiated along the sensory pathway.

Cell body of sensory neuron

The cell body (soma) of a sensory neuron, located along the afferent pathway leading toward the dorsal side of the spinal cord.

Cell body of motor neuron

The cell body (soma) of a motor neuron, located inside the ventral side of the spinal cord gray matter.

Afferent pathway

The neural pathway carrying incoming sensory signals from the receptive field toward the dorsal side of the spinal cord.

Efferent pathway

The neural pathway carrying outgoing motor commands away from the ventral side of the spinal cord toward muscle or effector tissue.

Sensory pathway

The pathway (afferent pathway) responsible for transmitting sensory signals from peripheral receptive fields to the central nervous system.

Motor pathway

The pathway (efferent pathway) responsible for carrying motor signals from the central nervous system to muscle fibers.

Dorsal side

The posterior region of the spinal cord where sensory information enters via the afferent/sensory pathway.

Ventral side

The anterior region of the spinal cord where motor signals originate and exit via the efferent/motor pathway.

Spinal Cord Neural Pathway Diagram

Diagram showing the cross-section of the spinal cord with labeled dorsal and ventral sides, receptive field, afferent and efferent pathways, sensory and motor pathways, and sensory and motor neuron cell bodies.