Which activities does the vasomotor center control?

• A. Parasympathetic neurons
• B. Somatic motor neurons
• C. Sympathetic motor neurons
• D. Autonomic sensory neurons

Answer: (C)

The vasomotor center primarily modulates sympathetic motor output to blood vessels to regulate vascular tone and blood pressure. By adjusting the signaling to smooth muscle in arteries and arterioles, it can cause constriction or dilation as needed to maintain systemic pressure and redirect blood flow. This center is part of autonomic control, but its actions are specifically focused on sympathetic pathways to vessels rather than parasympathetic outputs. It does not govern somatic motor neurons, which control skeletal muscles, nor autonomic sensory (afferent) pathways.