Spinal Cord Ventral Horn Neurons: Motor, Not Somatosensory

Multipolar neurons in the ventral (anterior) horn are lower motor neurons (LMNs).

LMN lesion → flaccid paralysis, atrophy, fasciculations, areflexia.
DRG lesion → sensory loss, neuropathic pain, preserved reflexes (if motor intact).

Ventral horn also contains interneurons (Renshaw cells, Ia inhibitory) coordinating reflexes and reciprocal inhibition.

Feature	Ventral Horn Motor Neurons	Dorsal Root Ganglion (Somatosensory)
Morphology	Multipolar (large soma, dendritic tree, long axon)	Pseudounipolar (single process bifurcates)
Location	Spinal cord gray matter (ventral horn)	Dorsal root ganglion (outside cord)
Function	Efferent: innervate skeletal muscle	Afferent: transmit touch, pain, temp, proprioception
Neurotransmitter	Acetylcholine (NMJ)	Glutamate (central terminals)