afferent

/ˈæfərənt/
adjective
  1. Relating to nerves or pathways that carry signals toward the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord).
    • In the reflex arc, afferent neurons carry the signal from the receptor to the spinal cord.
    • The afferent nerves send sensory information from your skin to your brain.
    • Doctors study afferent pathways to understand how pain signals travel through the body.
Synonyms
Antonyms
noun
  1. A nerve or neuron that carries signals toward the central nervous system.
    • Scientists traced the afferent from the eye to the visual cortex of the brain.
    • Each afferent in the spinal cord is responsible for transmitting touch sensations.
    • The doctor explained that the damaged afferent was causing numbness in the patient's hand.
What does "afferent" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean