Ventral

Ventral: An anatomical direction that refers to the front or lower side of the body. In humans, this term is almost exclusively used in reference to the front of the trunk or in reference to the front of the central nervous system. For example, the pectoralis major is the largest muscle on the ventral side of the upper body. In human anatomy, synonyms include anterior or front.

The opposite of ventral:

• Dorsal

For more information on the anatomical directions, check out:

• Lesson 1: Anatomical Position and Anatomical Directions

Examples of ventral used in reference to anatomy, exercise, and physical rehabilitation:

• Ventral Nerve Root of the Spinal Cord: The spinal nerve roots that exit the front of the spinal cord and carry motor (efferent) information from the central nervous system. Note that the dorsal nerve roots carry sensory information back to the central nervous system.
• Ventral Striatum: A part of the brain that is part of the reward system and includes structures like the nucleus accumbens.
• Ventral Glide Mobilization: This terminology is most commonly used to describe cervical mobilizations and is synonymous with posterior-to-anterior mobilizations of the cervical spine.