Neurons + Synaptic Transmission Flashcards
What are neurons?
Neurons are the building blocks of the nervous system, they are never cells
Where are neurons located?
Neurons are located within the brain
How many types of neurons are there? What are the different types called?
There are three types of neurons: sensory neuron, motor neuron relay neuron
What is the function of the relay neuron?
The relay neuron connects sensory neurons to motor neurons or other neurons. Essentially a connector neuron
What is the function of the sensory neuron?
The sensory neuron carry messages from the peripheral nervous system to the central nervous system
How would the sensory neuron, motor neuron and relay neuron work together?
For example the body receives a stimulus (touching something hot) this stimulus will be picked up by a sensory neuron and passed onto a relay neuron which will pass the information directly onto a motor neuron. This information is passed onto an effector (muscle gland) to receive a response
What is the function of the motor neuron?
The motor neuron carries nerve impulses from the central nerv ous system to an effector (muscle/gland)
Where is the neuron located: RELAY? SENSORY? MOTOR?
RELAY: located within the brain and the visual system
SENSORY: located in the peripheral nervous system
MOTOR: located in the central nervous system
What is the structure of the: RELAY? SENSORY? MOTOR?
RELAY: has short dendrites and short axons
SENSORY: long dendrites and short axons
MOTOR: has short dendrites and long axons
In clusters xx
What form is the sensory neuron found in when located in the peripheral nervous system?
In clusters called ganglias
What is the function of dendrites?
Dendrites carry impulses from neighbouring neurons towards the cell body
What is the function of axons?
Axons carry impulses away from the cell body down the length of the neuron towards the axon terminals
What is the axon covered in? How is this cover described? What is the function of the cover
The axon is covered in a fatty layer called the myelin sheath which protects the axon and speeds up the electrical transmission of the impulse
The myelin sheath has gaps within it, what are these gaps called?
The gaps are called the nodes of Ranvier
What is the function of the node of Ranvier
The nodes of Ranvier speed up the transmission of the electrical transmission by forcing the impulse to jump across the gaps down the axon