Biopsychology: Lesson 2 - The Structure And Function Of Sensory, Relay And Motor Neurons

Question 1

What is the nucleus?

Answer 1

Thebpart which contains the genetic material of the cell

Question 2

What are the dendrites?

Answer 2

Branch like structures that protrude from the cell body. These carry nerve impulses from one neuron to the next

Question 3

What is the axon?

Answer 3

The part that carries the electrical impulse away from the cell body towards the synapse

Question 4

What is the synapse?

Answer 4

The general term used for the ending of a neuron

Question 5

What is the synaptic knob?

Answer 5

The swelling at the end of the neuron (synapse)

It contains many vesicles that will release neurotransmitters

Question 6

What is the synaptic cleft?

Answer 6

The small microscopic gap between one neuron and the next (pre-synaptic neuron and post synaptic neuron)

Question 7

What is the Myelin sheath?

Answer 7

The fatty layer which covers the axon
It protects the axon and speed up the transmission of electrical impulse
It is segmented and has gaps

Question 8

What are Schwann cells?

Answer 8

The cells that make up the myelin sheath

Question 9

What are the Nodes of Ranvier?

Answer 9

The gals in the myelin sheath

They speed up the electrical impulse along the axon and force the impulse to jump across the gaps

Question 10

What are Neurotransmitters?

Answer 10

Chemicals that are released from one neuron within the synaptic knob, then pass across the synaptic cleft to the next neuron

Question 11

What are receptor sites?

Answer 11

Proteins that are in the surface of each cell

They act as receivers to the messages of the chemical molecules

Question 12

What are Sensory neurons?

Answer 12

• neurons that carry information from the nervous system towards to the brain
• some electrical impulses will reach the brain and will under conscious control
• some electrical impulses will only travel to the spinal cord because a reflex action is required which is involuntary and unconscious

Question 13

What is a relay neuron?

Answer 13

• r,Ray neurons are found in the brain and spinal cord
• relay neurons send electrical impulses from one part of the CNS to another
• relay neurons send electrical impulses between sensory and motor neurons
• involved in analysis of sensation and how to respond to a situation

Question 14

What are motor neurons?

Answer 14

• motor neurons send electrical impulses from the CNS to glands and muscles so that they can function
• motor neurons release neurotransmitters that have an effect on muscles/organs/glands
• glands and muscles are called effectors because they are effected in some way