Hi Jeannie, I found this passage here: If the motor nerve cells to a skeletal (voluntary) muscle die, the muscle will be paralyzed and also die. This is because the motor nerve cells continuously supply skeletal muscle cells with substances needed for their survival, above and beyond the hormone the nerve cells secrete to make the muscle contract.

http://everything2.com/index.pl?node=nerve

I don't know if that helps any? The motor nerves obviously supply the muscles with nourishment,besides controlling their movement.