Motor neurone and synapses. Computer graphic of a motor neurone and synapses (glowing yellow bulges, at lower centre). The cell body is at centre. It has a central nucleus (red circle) and axons (upper left, lower centre and lower right) for transmitting information and dendrites (branching processes) for receiving information. The motor neurone cell transmits and receives impulses (messages) to and from other nerve cells at junctions called synapses. The impulses are passed across the synapses by chemicals called neurotransmitters. Motor neurones transmit impulses from the brain to muscles or glands in order to inhibit or excite a response.