Milady Esthetics State Board Practice Test

What type of nerves carry impulses from the brain to the muscles?

1. Sensory nerves

2. Motor nerves

3. Mixed nerves

4. Autonomic nerves

The correct answer is: Motor nerves

Motor nerves are specifically responsible for carrying impulses from the brain to the muscles. They play a critical role in enabling voluntary and involuntary movements by transmitting signals that prompt muscle contraction. This function is essential for all physical actions, ranging from simple reflexes to complex movements such as writing or playing a musical instrument. Sensory nerves, on the other hand, are responsible for transmitting information from the sensory organs to the brain, thus contributing to perception rather than movement. Mixed nerves contain both sensory and motor fibers, allowing for the transmission of both types of impulses, but they do not exclusively convey signals from the brain to the muscles like motor nerves do. Autonomic nerves govern involuntary processes such as heart rate and digestion, which are not directly related to muscle movements in the skeletal system. Understanding the specific functions of these types of nerves is crucial in the field of esthetics, as it helps in grasping how bodily systems respond to treatments and interventions.