Which type of nerves carry messages from the brain to the body?

Prepare for the Praxis Pennsylvania Grades 4–8 Core Assessment. Study using flashcards and multiple choice questions, each with hints and explanations. Success awaits!

Motor nerves are responsible for transmitting messages from the brain and spinal cord to muscles and glands throughout the body. These nerves facilitate voluntary movements, allowing a person to perform actions such as walking, writing, or speaking. When the brain generates a signal to move, motor nerves convey that message to the relevant muscles, prompting them to contract and execute the intended action.

Sensory nerves, on the other hand, carry information from the body’s sensory receptors (such as those for touch, sight, and sound) back to the brain, enabling the awareness of external stimuli. Interneurons are responsible for processing information within the central nervous system and relaying signals between sensory and motor nerves. Reflex nerves, while not a distinct category, often refer to the pathways involved in reflex actions, which bypass conscious brain processing for quick responses. Therefore, motor nerves specifically function as the conduits for information flowing from the brain to the body, making them the correct answer in this context.

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