3.1 Cells of the Nervous System Flashcards
action potential
the nerve impulse.
axon
fiber that carries information away from the cell body of a neuron.
axon terminals
bulb-shaped structures at the ends of axons that form synapses with the dendrites and somas of other neurons. resting potential–the electrical charge of a neuron at rest (resting potential is -70mv)
dendrites
neuron fibers that receive incoming messages.
negative after-potential
a drop in electrical charge below the resting potential. (neurons fire at -50mv)
neural networks
interlinked collections of neurons that process information in the brain.
neurogenesis
the production of new brain cells.
neuropeptides
brain chemicals, such as enkephalins and endorphins, that regulate the activity of neurons–an individual nerve cell.
neuroplasticity
the capacity of the brain to change in response to experience.
neurotransmitter
any chemical released by a neuron that alters activity in other neurons.
reflex arc
the simplest behavior, in which a stimulus provokes an automatic response.
saltatory conduction
the process by which nerve impulses conducted down the axons of neurons coated with myelin jump from gap to gap in the myelin layer.
soma
the main body of a neuron or other cell.
synapse (microscopic gap)
the microscopic space between two neurons, over which messages pass.
parts of a neuron
dendrites, soma, axon, axon terminals
