Neurons Flashcards
Santiago Ramon y Cajal
father of modern neuroscience
*drew and classified types of neurons
Neuron
a cell that specialized in receiving and transmitting information
Cell Body
coordinates information processing tasks and keeps cells alive
Dendrites
receives information from other neurons and relays it to the cell body
Axon
carries information to other neurons, muscles, or glands
Synapse
the region between the axon of one neuron and the dendrites of another
Myelin Sheath
a fatty sheath that insulates axons resulting in increased speed of an efficiency of neural communication
What are the two ways in which neurons send and receive messages?
- Action Potential
- Transmission across the synapse
Resting potential
when the neuron is at rest, there is electrical potential
*the outside is more positively charged and the inside is negatively charged
Depolarization
when stimulation sodium channels open and positive ions rush in
*makes the neurons less polar/negative
Repolarization
after the sodium gates close, potassium (K+) moves out, creating a more negative cell
Action Potential
an electrical signal that is conducted along the length of the neuron’s axon to a synapse
*this is an all-or-nothing phenomena - either the action potential occurs or id does not
Synaptic Cleft
when the action potential reaches the synaptic terminals, it causes the release of neurotransmitters into the synaptic cleft
*neurotransmitters bind to the dendrites or cell body of the next neuron
What does it mean for a neurotransmitter to be excitatory?
The neurotransmitter increases the likelihood of an action potential by causing the membrane potential to be less negative
What does it mean for a neurotransmitter to be inhibitory?
The neurotransmitter decreases the likelihood of an action potential by causing the membrane potential to be more negative
