01:830:101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Myelin, Spinal Cord, Action Potential

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

Document Summary

Thoughts, feelings, and behaviors can be traced to electrical and chemical signals traveling through the brain and body. Nervous system: complex communication network made up of neurons. Neuron - specialized cell that transmits neural messages to other neurons, glands, and muscles. Dendrite - receives neural messages from other neurons. Cell body (soma) - houses dna; cell"s life support center. Axon - thin tube that transmits messages from cell body to other neurons, muscles, or glands. Usually only one - short or long depending on location in ns. Message travels down the axon to the end - information flows away from cell body. Terminal branches of axons: forms junctions with other cells. Some glial cells form blood-brain barrier (prevents some toxins from entering brain) Some glial cells form myelin sheath - specialized cells that are wrapped around the axon to help transmit message; speeds neural impulses. 2 steps: electrical signal within a neuron (action potential, chemical signal between neurons (neurotransmitters)