Nerve cells starting at the spinal cord or brain stem and ending at the muscle fibers. The loss of lower motor neurons leads to weakness, twitching of muscles (fasciculations), and loss of muscle bulk (atrophy).

A neuron whose cell body lies in the central nervous system, and whose axon leaves the CNS through a foramen, and terminates on an effector.

Synonym for alpha motor neuron. (Compare upper motor neuron.)

Neuron (-motoneuron) directly innervating skeletal muscle cells (motor unit); cell body in the brainstem (head) or spinal cord ventral horn (lamina IX, rest of the body); lesion results in flaccid paralysis, lack of muscle tone and reflexes, muscle atrophy, and (initially) muscle fasciculations (small, uncoordinated muscle fiber contractions)

Lower motor neurons (LMNs) are the motoneurons connecting the brainstem and spinal cord to muscle fibers, bringing the nerve impulses from the upper motor neurons out to the muscles.