Question

Sensory neurons are also called ________ neurons because they transmit information toward the central nervous system?

1) Motor
2) Interneuron
3) Efferent
4) Afferent

Answer 1

Sensory neurons are also called afferent neurons because they transmit information to the central nervous system. (option 4)

Step-by-step explanation:

Sensory neurons, also known as afferent neurons, convey information from sensory receptors to the central nervous system, working as part of the afferent pathway. Unlike motor neurons that carry impulses away from the central nervous system to muscles and glands, sensory neurons pick up signals from sensory receptors throughout the body and carry those impulses back to the central nervous system. This process allows the brain to receive and process information about the external and internal environments, facilitating appropriate responses to stimuli.

Sensory neurons are hence crucial components of the afferent pathway, which is involved in transmitting sensory information such as touch, light, and sound into nerve impulses. It's important to remember this relationship between sensory neurons and their direction of impulse transmission, which is essentially towards the CNS. These neurons work together with motor neurons, which serve the opposite function and are referred to as efferent neurons.