Neuron Structure And Function Flashcards
Sensory neuron
-tells rest of brain about external and internal environment by processing Info taken from senses
Motor neuron
-carries electrical signal to a muscle, which will cause muscle to either contract or relax
Relay Neuron
- carry messages from one part of CNS to another
- connect motor and sensory Neurons
What’s Hebb’s theory of Learning and Neuronal Growth
-states that when one neuron sends a signal to another neuron, and the second neuron becomes activated, the connection between them becomes strengthened
What is Hebbian Learning
- ‘What fires together, wires together’, so with every new experience, the brain rewires it’s physical structure
- occurs through Long term potentiation (LTP)
- this results in stronger connections between nerve cells and leads to longer lasting changes in synaptic connections —> responsible for learning and memory
What is a synapse
-specialised gap between Neurons which the electrical impulse from the neuron is transmitted chemically
What is synaptic transmission
Refers to the process whereby messages are sent from neuron to neuron
What happens during synaptic transmission
- electrical nerve impulse travels down neuron, prompting release of neurotransmitters at pre-synaptic terminal, then this is release into the synaptic fluid in synapse
- the adjacent Neurons must then take up the neurotransmitters from fluid and convert them into and electrical impulse to travel down the neuron to the next synaptic terminal, this is repeated
Examples of neurotransmitters
-serotonin and dopamine
What is an excitatory potential
- makes it more likely for neuron to fire
- if synapse is more likely to cause a post-synaptic neuron to fire, it’s called an excitatory synapse
What’s an inhibitory potential
- makes it less likely to fire
- if the message is likely to be stopped at the post-synaptic neuron, it’s called an inhibitory synapse
