Motor Responses

Definition

Motor responses are physical actions or movements triggered by the brain in response to stimuli, executed through the somatic nervous system. These responses can be voluntary, like picking up a pencil, or reflexive, such as withdrawing a hand from a hot surface.

Related terms

Somatic Nervous System:

The part of the peripheral nervous system that handles voluntary control of body movements via skeletal muscles.

Reflex Arc:

A neural pathway that controls an action reflex, an automatic response to a stimulus without conscious thought.

Neuron:

A nerve cell that transmits electrical and chemical signals throughout the nervous system, playing a key role in initiating and conducting motor responses