Which ganglion contains motor neurons for the somatic nervous system?

• A. Dorsal root ganglion
• B. Ventral root ganglion
• C. Sympathetic ganglion
• D. Pterygopalatine ganglion

Answer: (B)

Somatic motor neurons originate in the spinal cord, with their cell bodies in the ventral horn of the gray matter. From there, their axons exit the spinal cord through the ventral root and travel to skeletal muscles to produce movement. Peripheral ganglia, such as the dorsal root ganglion, contain sensory neuron cell bodies, while autonomic ganglia (like sympathetic chain ganglia and the pterygopalatine ganglion) contain autonomic neurons. Therefore, somatic motor neuron cell bodies are not housed in a peripheral ganglion; they reside in the spinal cord and their axons pass through the ventral root to reach muscles.