Final answer:
The neurons of the motor pathway control voluntary movements via the corticobulbar and corticospinal tracts, with the latter crossing over to the opposite side of the body.
Step-by-step explanation:
The neurons of the motor pathway are crucial components in the control of voluntary movements of skeletal muscles. These neurons include upper motor neurons that have their cell body in the cerebral cortex and lower motor neurons located in the ventral horn of the spinal cord, which directly innervate skeletal muscles. The primary motor cortex sends motor commands to the muscles using large cortical neurons known as Betz cells, whose axons travel down two main pathways: the corticobulbar tract and the corticospinal tract. The corticobulbar tract's projections are ipsilateral, while the corticospinal tract's are largely contralateral, indicating they cross to the opposite side of the body; as a result, each side of the brain controls the opposite side of the body.