Fill in the blanks: A spinal nerve divides into a(n)_____ that serves the anterior side of the body and the limbs and a(n)_____that serves the posterior side of the body.

Video transcript

Hey, everyone. Let's take a look at this question together. Choose which of the following is innervated by the anterior rami of a spinal nerve. Is it answer choice? A the skin on the back? Answer choice B the skin over the chest. Answer choice C the skin on the back of the neck or answer choice. D all of the above. Let's work this problem out together to try to figure out which of the following answer choices is something that is innervated by the anterior rami of a spinal nerve. So in order to solve this question, we have to recall what is innervated by the anterior rami of a spinal nerve to determine which of the following is the correct answer. And we can recall that as the spinal cord exits the vertebral canal, it divides into two branches of which those two branches include a large anterior or ventral ramus which innervates the skin and muscles on the interior side of the trunk as well as a small posterior or dorsal ramus which innervates the post abra muscles and the skin of the back. So since we are talking specifically about that large anterior ventral ramus we know that it innervates the skin and the muscles on the anterior side of the trunk, which the trunk also refers to the chest. So looking at our answer choices, we can identify answer choice b the skin over the chest as the correct answer. And all other answer choices are incorrect since they are not innervated by the anterior rami of a spinal nerve. I hope you found this video to be helpful. Thank you and goodbye.