Base of posterior horn

The base of posterior horn refers to the region that lies ventral to the neck. From a cytoarchitectural perspective, this region corresponds with Rexed lamina VII or with the lateral intermediate substance of the spinal cord.

The important groups of nuclei in the base of posterior horn include the posterior thoracic nucleus, Dorsal nucleus of Clarke (Clarke’s column) and the visceral afferent nucleus. Most of them lie in the thoracic and upper lumbar spinal segments and do not extend throughout the length of the spinal cord.

The posterior thoracic nucleus or the Dorsal nucleus of Clarke or Clarke’s column (C8 to L3/L4 spinal segments) receives subconscious proprioceptive information from muscle spindles and Golgi tendon organs. The axons from the cells in the Clarke’s column give rise to dorsal and ventral spinocerebellar tracts, which carry the proprioceptive information to the cerebellum, at a subconscious level.

The visceral afferent nucleus is located just lateral to the Clarke’s column and is believed to be associated with receiving visceral afferent information.

The base–which is part of the intermediate zone of spinal cord–extends laterally in the T1 to L2 segments of spinal cord to form an additional horn, called the lateral horn of spinal cord.