PSYC 200 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Synaptic Pruning, Vagus Nerve, Myelin

• School: University of Calgary
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 200
• Professor: Kathleen Hughes

Document Summary

Nerve cells, motor neurons; from interneurons; motor output, sensory neurons; sensory input. Interneurons; receive from sensory neurons; comprehend signals: glial cells, transmission, not exactly "instant, reflex arc, decisions made by the spinal cord (these signals don"t reach the brain, theyre dealt with by the spinal cord) Involuntary: don"t need to specifically know the chemical components of the ion exchange for action potentials, neural impulse: relay of ions down the axon (ion exchange), homeostasis (balance) must be maintained, polarized by electrical signal. At points of insulation, ion exchange doesn"t occur. Frog jumping motion of the impulse along the axon = faster and more efficient: longest nerve: vagus nerve (runs from the back of the neck, loops around the heart, and goes back up); emotional reaction or empathy neuron. Reactions in cardiovascular system: action potential = one neuron. Synaptic relay = multiple neurons: synapse terminal buttons. Lock and key style: extracellular space in brain = messy!!