Which type of neuron carries impulses from sensory receptors toward the central nervous system?

• A. Motor neuron
• B. Sensory neuron
• C. Interneuron
• D. White matter

Answer: (B)

Signals from the outside world are picked up by sensory receptors and then travel toward the brain or spinal cord. The type of neuron that does this work is the sensory (afferent) neuron. It transmits impulses from the peripheral receptors into the central nervous system, enabling perception and processing.

Motor neurons do the opposite: they carry commands from the CNS to muscles or glands to bring about a response. Interneurons stay within the CNS and connect neurons to relay information between sensory and motor pathways. White matter is made up of myelinated axon tracts, not a neuron itself. So the neuron that brings information toward the CNS is the sensory (afferent) neuron.