Utah Esthetician State Board Practice Exam

What type of nerve is primarily involved in reflexes?

1. Motor nerves

2. Mixed nerves

3. Sensory nerves

4. Interneurons

The correct answer is: Interneurons

Interneurons are the type of nerve primarily involved in reflexes. These specialized neurons act as connectors or relay points between sensory and motor neurons within the central nervous system. When a stimulus is detected by sensory nerves, the interneurons process the information and create a response by signaling motor nerves to trigger an action without involving the brain, allowing for quick reflex actions. Motor nerves are primarily responsible for transmitting signals from the brain and spinal cord to muscles, facilitating movement, while sensory nerves carry signals from sensory receptors to the central nervous system, helping in the perception of stimuli. Mixed nerves contain both sensory and motor fibers but do not solely process reflex actions. Hence, while each type of nerve plays a role in the nervous system, interneurons are specifically crucial in coordinating the rapid, involuntary responses characteristic of reflex actions.