Chapter 3

Question 1

define: neurons

Answer 1

cells in the nervous system that communicate with each other to perform information processing tasks

Question 2

define: neuron cell body

Answer 2

soma, largest component of the neuron that coordinates the information processing tasks and keeps the cell alive, contains nucleus

Question 3

what kind of a cell membrane does a neuron’s soma have?

Answer 3

porous cell membrane that allows some molecule flow

Question 4

define: dendrites

Answer 4

receive information from other neurons and relay it to the cell body

Question 5

define: axon

Answer 5

carries information to other neurons, muscles, or glands, composed of glial cells

Question 6

define: myelin sheath

Answer 6

insulating layer of fatty material

Question 7

define: synapse

Answer 7

the junction or region between the axon of one neuron and the dendrites or cell body of another, critical for neural communication

Question 8

define: motor neuron

Answer 8

carry signals from the spinal chord to the muscles to produce movement

Question 9

define: sensory neuron

Answer 9

receive information from the external world and convey this information to the brain via the spinal chord, dendrites specialized to receive signals for senses

Question 10

define: interneurons

Answer 10

connect sensory, motor, or other inter- neurons, most of NS is comprised of, only found in brain and spinal cord

Question 11

define: purkinje cells

Answer 11

kind of interneuron, carries information from the cerebellum to the rest of the brain and the spinal chord

Question 12

define: pyramidal cells

Answer 12

found in the cerebral cortex, triangular cell body and one single long dendrite among smaller dendrites