| Posterior grey column (posterior horn of spinal cord) | |
| Latin: | cornu posterius medullae spinalis |
| Width: | 350 |
The posterior grey column (posterior cornu, dorsal horn, spinal dorsal horn, posterior horn, sensory horn[1]) is one of the three grey columns of the spinal cord. It is a pronounced, dorsolaterally-oriented ridge of gray matter in either lateral half of the spinal cord. When viewed in transverse section, it is termed the posterior horn or dorsal horn.[2]
The posterior column contains the cell bodies of second-order sensory neurons and their synapses with the pseudounipolar first-order sensory neurons (whose cell bodies are located within the sensory ganglia (a.k.a. dorsal root ganglia)). It receives several types of sensory information from parts of the body (including fine touch, proprioception, and vibration) from receptors of in the skin, bones, and joints.
The posterior grey column extends to the surface of the spinal cord.[3]
The posterior grey column is subdivided into six layers termed Rexed laminae I-VI
The other four Rexed laminae are located in the other two grey columns in the spinal cord.
Posterior horn of spinal cord involves in sensory processing.
The function of the spinal dorsal horn is to process and integrate sensory information from the peripheral nervous system. It receives inputs from primary afferent fibers and modulatory systems, and it projects to higher brain centers and motor neurons. The dorsal horn circuitry is involved in various aspects of sensory processing, including discrimination, integration, and modulation of nociceptive and non-nociceptive signals. Dysfunction of the dorsal horn circuitry has been implicated in chronic pain conditions and other neurological disorders.[5]