What area of the spinal cord contains cell bodies synapsed by afferent neurons (sensory)?

The dorsal horn of the spinal cord is the region that contains the cell bodies of neurons that receive sensory input. Afferent neurons, which carry sensory information from the body to the central nervous system, synapse in the dorsal horn, where they transmit signals related to touch, pain, temperature, and proprioception.

In this area, sensory fibers enter the spinal cord through the dorsal roots and connect with second-order neurons within the dorsal horn, which then relay the information to higher brain centers. This structure is crucial for processing sensory information before it is sent to the brain, making it an essential component of the sensory pathways.

The other options refer to different regions and functions of the spinal cord. The ventral horn primarily contains the cell bodies of motor neurons responsible for somatic motor function. The lateral horn, found in certain segments of the spinal cord, contains autonomic motor neurons that participate in the sympathetic nervous system. Gray matter encompasses both the dorsal and ventral horns, as well as other regions, but it does not specify the particular area involved with sensory afferent neuron synapses, which is uniquely characteristic of the dorsal horn.