British Sign Language Glossaries of Curriculum Terms

BSL Environmental Science Glossary - Motor Neurone definition

Definition: Motor neurones are part of the central nervous system (CNS) and connect to muscles, endocrine glands, and organs throughout the body. The motor neurones will transmit electrical impulses from the spinal cord (reflex arc) to skeletal muscles, controlling all of our muscle movements. They are connected to two other types of neurones via the reflex arc:
Sensory neurone – inter neurone/relay neurone – motor neurone.

For example, suppose you touch a hot cup of tea with your fingers. In that case, the impulses will immediately travel through the sensory neurone to the relay neurone and then to the motor neurone, which will cause the muscle in the upper arm to contract - lifting your hand away from the hot cup of tea. This is an example of a reflex action.