Neurology | Spinal Cord: Gray Matter Structure & Function

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Ninja Nerds!
In this lecture, Professor Zach Murphy explores the detailed structure and function of the gray matter within the spinal cord. We begin by identifying the butterfly-shaped arrangement of gray matter on cross-section and dividing it into the dorsal (posterior), ventral (anterior), and lateral horns, where applicable. Each horn is discussed in the context of its primary neuronal cell types, including sensory interneurons in the dorsal horn, motor neurons in the ventral horn, and autonomic neurons in the lateral horn found in the thoracic and upper lumbar regions.

The lecture then examines the organization of neuronal cell bodies into functional nuclei and laminae, correlating these with the sensory and motor information types they process. We review the dorsal horn’s role in receiving afferent sensory input from the periphery, the ventral horn’s role in generating motor output to skeletal muscles, and the lateral horn’s control of visceral motor activity. By highlighting these distinct yet interconnected regions, the discussion demonstrates how gray matter is the spinal cord’s processing center for reflexes, sensory relay, and voluntary movement initiation.

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