Chapter 2.1 Flashcards
Who said that the brain is made of ill-assorted parts?
Linden
How much does the brain weigh?
3 lbs
How much of our body weight is our brain?
3%
How many neurons are in the brain?
100 billion
Neurons communicate via ____.
Neurotransmitters across the synapse
How big is a synapse?
0.03 microns
What is the function of neurotransmitters?
Allows for communication and for the pathways to shuttle information to and from the brain
How much of our body’s energy does the brain use?
20% (1/5)
What are the two primary types of cells in the nervous system?
Neurons and Glia
What are neurons?
Primary carriers of information within the different areas of the brain
True/False: Glia are less understood than neurons.
True
Where is the receiving end of a neuron?
On the top toward the direction of the nucleus
What are the receptors called on a neuron?
dendrites
What does the cell body contain on a neuron?
the nucleus
What is the function of the nucleus in a neuron?
It is the energy pack of the neuron
What is the long thin fiber that runs off the cell body and down the middle?
The axon
What is the purpose of the axon?
Allows for information to eventually be communicated down at the end of the axon to the presynaptic terminal
What is the purpose of the synaptic cleft?
To allow for communication to other neurons (synaptic cleft is the space between neurons)
What are postsynaptic neurons?
nerve cells that receive signals from other neurons, called presynaptic neurons, at synapses
What are the nodes of ranvier?
gaps in the myelin sheath of the axon that help propagate action potential along the axon
