Which neuron type connects sensory and motor pathways within the CNS?

• A. Motor neurons
• B. Interneurons
• C. Sensory neurons
• D. Relay neurons

Answer: (B)

Interneurons act as the connectors between sensory input and motor output inside the CNS. They stay entirely within the spinal cord and brain, receiving signals from sensory neurons and passing them on to motor neurons. This wiring allows rapid reflexes and also higher-level processing that determines how a response is produced. They can modulate activity with inhibitory or excitatory signals, shaping the final outcome.

Sensory neurons bring information from receptors to the CNS, and motor neurons carry commands from the CNS to muscles, so they don’t link sensory and motor pathways directly within the CNS. The term relay neurons is sometimes used, but in this context the standard term for the connector role is interneurons.