Question: Whats the difference between a motor and a sensory function?

Kevin Motherway answered on 11 Nov 2014:

Your nervous system comprises your central nervous system (brain ans spinal cord) and then all the neurons (effectiveness like wires) that both gather information and send out signals to muscles to move. The sensory neurons outnumber the motor ones about 4 to 1, so your body has huge capacity to gather data, temperature, pressure, position in space, pain, light intensity etc etc. This is your sensory system.

The motor neuron system is the wiring by which your body control all the muscles in your body and sends out the signals for muscles to fire and contract. So “Oooh my hand is cold” message sent via Sensory Neurons from hands to brain via spine. “move hand into pocket” messages sent from brain via spine to muscles in arm to move.

Motor Neuron Disease is a particularly awful disease where the insulation on the wires or neurons breaks down and they can no longer control the muscles and the sufferer slowly becomes more and more paralysed over time.