Sensory (afferent) neurons
Definition
These are nerve cells within the nervous system responsible for converting external stimuli from the organism's environment into internal electrical impulses.
Analogy
Think of sensory neurons like mail carriers. They pick up messages (in this case, sensory information) from outside your body and deliver them to the central processing center (your brain and spinal cord).
Related terms
Somatic Nervous System: This is a part of the peripheral nervous system associated with skeletal muscle voluntary control and reflexes.
Motor Neurons: These are neurons that carry signals from the spinal cord to the muscles to produce movement.
Interneurons: These are neurons which transmit impulses between other neurons, especially as part of a reflex arc.
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