Reference Terms
from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Motor neuron
A motor neuron is a specialized type of nerve cell responsible for transmitting signals from the central nervous system to muscles, enabling movement. These neurons carry electrical impulses that trigger muscle contraction, making them essential for voluntary actions like walking or speaking, as well as involuntary responses such as reflexes. Motor neurons are located in the brain and spinal cord, with long axons that extend out to connect with muscle fibers across the body.
There are two main types of motor neurons: upper motor neurons, which originate in the brain and transmit signals to the spinal cord, and lower motor neurons, which extend from the spinal cord to directly innervate muscles. Damage to either type can lead to motor deficits, weakness, or paralysis. Diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), spinal muscular atrophy, and certain types of neuropathy specifically target motor neurons, often leading to progressive loss of movement and muscle control.
Motor neurons are critical to the body’s ability to interact with and respond to the environment. Their precise signaling allows for coordinated movement and posture, and understanding how they function is central to both neuroscience research and the development of treatments for motor disorders.
Related Stories
1
2
Health & Medicine News
September 16, 2026
Sep. 16, 2026 Scientists have discovered that some severe genetic disorders linked to rapid aging may be driven not just by damaged DNA, but by the body’s overreaction to that damage. When broken DNA fragments leak into the wrong part of a cell, an immune ...
Sep. 16, 2026 Eating four to six servings of whole grains a day may deliver meaningful benefits for heart health, according to a large review of 87 clinical trials. Researchers found improvements in body weight, waist size, blood pressure, cholesterol, blood ...
Sep. 15, 2026 Eating more ultra-processed foods was linked to greater fat buildup inside thigh muscles, according to MRI scans of 615 adults at risk for knee osteoarthritis. Surprisingly, the association remained ...
Sep. 15, 2026 A naturally occurring molecule called erucamide may help the retina fight back against diseases that cause progressive vision loss. Restoring the molecule activated protective immune responses that helped stabilize retinal tissue and slow aspects of ...
Sep. 15, 2026 Older adults who changed the balance of fat, carbohydrates, and animal protein in their diets showed signs of reduced biological age after just four weeks. The strongest result appeared in participants eating an omnivorous, lower-fat, ...
Sep. 15, 2026 Simply smelling chocolate helped men complete more leg extension repetitions without making the workout feel harder, with dark chocolate producing the strongest effect. The researchers think familiar food aromas may influence appetite and motivation ...
Sep. 15, 2026 Scientists have uncovered sweeping changes in how the human brain controls and organizes its genome beginning in midlife, offering new clues to why aging sharply increases the risk of Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases. One of the ...
Sep. 15, 2026 The flesh eating New World screwworm has returned to the United States, threatening livestock, wildlife, pets and potentially people as it spreads north. A new UC San Diego tracking system aims to predict where the parasite could strike next while ...
Sep. 14, 2026 A major analysis of 139 clinical trials involving nearly 10,000 people suggests that some of the simplest treatments may work best for knee osteoarthritis. Knee braces ranked highest overall for ...
Sep. 14, 2026 A newly discovered communication system in the microscopic “antennae” of cells may help explain how some congenital heart defects develop. When genetic mutations disrupt this system, the effects ...
Sep. 14, 2026 Ancient DNA reveals that plague was already killing hunter-gatherers in Siberia 5,500 years ago, long before cities and flea-driven epidemics. The prehistoric strains may have been especially ...
Sep. 14, 2026 Cancer rates are rising in adults under 55, and new research suggests accelerated biological aging may be one piece of the puzzle. Scientists found that people from more recent generations tended to ...
Latest Headlines
updated 12:56 pm ET
Sep. 14, 2026 Scientists have discovered that the brain’s short-range wiring may help protect cognition even as gray matter shrinks with age. Healthier connections just beneath the brain’s surface were linked ...
Sep. 14, 2026 A wearable device has revealed nighttime hormone surges that may expose a frequently missed cause of high blood pressure. The discovery could help ...
Sep. 14, 2026 Low vitamin D levels may make recovery from breast cancer surgery more painful, according to a study of 184 women undergoing mastectomy. Patients with vitamin D deficiency were three times more ...
Sep. 13, 2026 Scientists discovered that aging cells can use malfunctioning mitochondria to unlock inflammatory genes and keep the immune system stuck in a prolonged state of alert. Blocking one part of this ...
Sep. 13, 2026 Scientists found that the 3D organization of DNA is disrupted in several types of brain cells affected by Alzheimer’s disease, altering how important genes are switched on and off. The discovery ...
Sep. 13, 2026 Most men may be missing an important dietary clue about prostate cancer. A new survey found that only 20% knew research has linked dairy consumption with increased prostate cancer risk, while 66% ...
Sep. 13, 2026 AI analysis of 400,000 Reddit posts found that users of drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound reported unexpected symptoms including menstrual changes, chills, hot flashes, and ...
Sep. 12, 2026 A natural compound found in foods such as spinach, almonds, and sweet potatoes may aggravate gut inflammation in people with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis because their intestines appear ...
Sep. 12, 2026 GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound may increase hair-loss risk by 7% in men who are already genetically susceptible to male-pattern baldness. The findings suggest thinning hair may not ...
Sep. 12, 2026 Scientists have uncovered a natural braking system that helps the immune system switch off inflammation and prevent harmful immune cells from building up. Boosting this pathway in people reduced ...