What characterizes motor neurons?

Motor neurons are specialized nerve cells that play a fundamental role in the nervous system by transmitting impulses from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands. This function is essential for enabling voluntary movements, such as walking or typing, as well as involuntary actions, such as reflexes. When motor neurons send signals, they trigger muscle contractions or glandular secretions, facilitating bodily movements and responses.

While other options describe functions related to the nervous system, they do not accurately characterize motor neurons. For example, the role of connecting sensory receptors to the brain pertains more to sensory neurons. Reflex actions involve interactions among both motor and sensory neurons, but motor neurons specifically are responsible for carrying impulses from the central nervous system to effectors like muscles. Supporting the myelin sheath relates to the function of glial cells, not motor neurons themselves, which do not provide structural support but rather execute motor commands.