Excitatory and inhibitory motoneurons in the central nervous system of the leech.

The locomotion and reflex responses of the leech are brought about by inmuscles that are arranged in a regular, simple pattern in the body wall and that flatten, shorten, lengthen, or bend the animal. In the segmental ganglia, it is possible to recognize by morphological and physiological criteria the individual motoneurons that cause contractions and relaxations of these muscles.