Which structure is primarily responsible for carrying sensory information in the spinal cord?

The dorsal root ganglion plays a crucial role in carrying sensory information in the spinal cord. This structure houses the cell bodies of sensory neurons, which transmit afferent signals from the peripheral nervous system to the central nervous system. When sensory receptors in the body detect stimuli, they activate sensory neurons that send their axons toward the spinal cord. These axons enter the spinal cord through the dorsal roots and synapse within the gray matter, allowing the sensory information to be processed and relayed to higher brain centers.

In contrast, other structures mentioned do not primarily carry sensory information. The ventral roots contain the axons of motor neurons that transmit signals from the spinal cord to muscles and glands, playing a role in motor function rather than sensory input. The central canal is a fluid-filled space that runs through the length of the spinal cord and does not have a direct role in carrying sensory information. Gray matter, while important for processing sensory information, consists of the neuronal cell bodies and is not primarily a channel for sensory pathways itself. It is the dorsal root ganglion that is specifically responsible for housing the sensory neuron cell bodies that relay sensory data to the spinal cord.