01:830:101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Neuroglia, Action Potential, Reuptake

• School: Rutgers University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: 01:830:101
• Professor: Dr. Brynildsen

Document Summary

Nervous system: vast network of wiring and circuit boards (communication system is made up of neurons) Thoughts, feelings, behaviors can be traced to the nervous system. Neuron : specialized cell that transmits neural messages to other neurons, glands, and muscles. Dendrite : receives messages from other neurons. Axon : thin tube that transmits messages. Form myelin sheath : cells that are wrapped around the axon to protect it and transmit messages. Action potential : electro-chemical impulse that travels from the cell body down to the end of the axon ( step 1 ) Threshold : level of electric charge needed to stimulate action potential. All-or-none response : once the electric charge of the neuron reaches a certain threshold it fires an action potential ( it occurs or not occurs ) Impulses are transmitted across synapse via neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters : chemical messengers that travel across synapse from one neuron to receptors on the next cell ( step 2 )