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Meaning & use

dorsal root location

noun·Advancedtechnicalmedicalbiology

Last updated

UK/ˌdɔːsl ˈruːt ləʊˌkeɪʃn/
US/ˌdɔːrsl ˈruːt loʊˌkeɪʃn/

Meanings

  1. nounsingulartechnicalmedicalbiology

    The place where a bundle of sensory nerve fibers enters the back of the spinal cord, just outside it.

    Grammar: Usually used with 'the': the dorsal root location. It is a fixed technical phrase, not normally plural.

    Patterns

    • the dorsal root location of a nerve
    • at the dorsal root location

    In the diagram, the dorsal root location is marked on the rear side of the spinal cord.

    Damage at the dorsal root location can cause loss of sensation in the arm.

  2. nouncountabletechnicalmedicalbiology

    The position of this entry point along the spine, for example which spinal segment it belongs to.

    Grammar: Countable when you talk about several positions: the dorsal root locations of C5 and C6.

    Patterns

    • the dorsal root locations of something
    • map the dorsal root location

    The surgeon checked the dorsal root location before placing the electrode.

    Researchers compared the dorsal root locations of the cervical and lumbar regions.

Word forms

pluraldorsal root locations

Common combinations

the dorsal root location of a spinal nerve
The scan showed the dorsal root location of the affected spinal nerve.
at the dorsal root location
Sensory signals arrive at the dorsal root location before entering the cord.
identify the dorsal root location
Students must identify the dorsal root location on the model.
dorsal root ganglion
The dorsal root ganglion sits just beyond the dorsal root location.

Synonyms and how they differ

dorsal root entry zone
A more clinical term for the same area, often used in surgery and pain medicine.
posterior root
An older or alternative name for the same structure; 'dorsal' is more common in modern English texts.

Opposites

ventral root location

Word family

dorsal adjective
Relating to the back or upper side of an animal or body part.
root noun
The part of a nerve or plant that starts at its base.
dorsally adverb
In a position toward the back.

Commonly confused: dorsal root location or dorsal horn? dorsal root location or ventral root?

dorsal root location vs dorsal horn

The dorsal horn is gray matter inside the spinal cord, while the dorsal root is the nerve bundle outside it. They are close together but not the same structure.

dorsal root location vs ventral root

The ventral root is at the front of the cord and carries motor signals out; the dorsal root is at the back and carries sensory signals in.

Practice

Where is the dorsal root located?

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