Neurotransmitters

Question 0

What is meant by a synapse and a receptor?

Answer 0

Neurotransmitters cross the synapse - which is the gap between neurones - and attach to receptors on the next neurone.

Question 1

What is a neurone?

Answer 1

A neurone is a nerve cell that is the basic building block of the nervous system.
Neurones are similar to other cells in the body in a number of ways - there is one key difference.
Neurones are specialised to transmit information throughout the body.

Question 2

How is information transmitted between neurones in the Central Nervous System?

Answer 2

-Nerves in our body send information via the spinal cord to the brain.
-The brain processes this information and sends a message to the body through the spinal cord.
E.g. Our eyes send a message about a car coming towards us, the brain processes how far away it is and sends a message back telling us to cross the road.
- The spinal cord (within the backbone) is an important pathway that runs between the body and the brain. It carries messages (through neurones) both inwards and outwards from the brain.

Question 3

What is the role of the spinal cord?

Answer 3

• The spinal cord (within the backbone) is an important pathway that runs between the body and the brain. It carries messages (through neurones) both inwards and outwards from the brain.