Which type of nerve detects information and transmits it to the CNS?

• A. Efferent nerves
• B. Afferent nerves
• C. Interneurons
• D. Motor nerves

Answer: (B)

Detecting information and sending it to the CNS is the role of afferent (sensory) nerves. They pick up signals from receptors in the skin, organs, and sense organs and relay them toward the brain and spinal cord so the brain can interpret sensations like touch, temperature, pain, and proprioception. Efferent nerves, by contrast, carry commands from the CNS to muscles or glands to produce a response. Interneurons reside in the CNS and link sensory input to motor output, rather than transmitting peripheral information to the CNS.