PSYB65H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 4: Hydrophile, Axon Terminal, Halle Berry
Document Summary
Psyb65 chapter 4: the structure and electrical activity of neurons. Neurons are the information-conducting units of the nervous system. A neuron has many characteristics in common with other cells in the body, but it also has special characteristics that allow it to send electrical impulses by using changes in chemical charges on its cell membrane. The most prominent distinguishing features are the dendrites, whose presence greatly increases the cell"s surface area. The dendrites" surface area is further increased by many branches and by many small protrusions called dendritic spines that cover each branch. A neuron may have from 1 to 20 dendrites, each of which may have one or many branches, and the spines on the branches may number in the many thousands. Because dendrites collect information from other cells, their surface areas determine how much information a neuron can gather.
