PSYC 100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Neuroglia, Spinal Cord, Peripheral Nervous System
16 Jun 2016
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Document Summary
Our psychological, emotional, and social well-being depend critically on the health and integrity of the brain. Neurons are the cells that compose the nervous system. They communicate with e/o to perform tasks. Santiago ramon y cajal (1852-1934) discovered the shape and size of types of neurons from staining. Cell body (soma: largest component, coordinates cell function and keeps cell alive, contains the nucleus and chromosome, has pores for regulating transport of molecules. Dendrites: carries info to cell body. Axon: carries info from cell body to other neurons, muscles and glands, covered by myelin sheath, 3 types of axons: Afferent: moving signals away from neurons to cns. Efferent: signals that exit cns to the peripheral system. Myelin sheath: layer of fatty material composed of glial cells, helps an axon transmit signals more efficiently. Glial cells: surround neurons, some digest dead neurons, provide nutrients, help form myelin.
