BIOL 1002 Chapter : Ch 38 Notes
Document Summary
The nervous systems: function nerve cell (neuron) (see fig 38-1), receive information. Integrate the information: conduct the signal to its output terminal, transmit the signal to other cells, coordinate their metabolic activities, structure of a neuron, dendrite: a tangle of fibers that branch from the cell body. They receive information from the environment and convert the information to electrical signals: cell body: receives various signals from dendrites and produces an action potential (output signal). Also coordinates metabolic activity of the cell: axon: a long thin fiber extending from the cell body. Carries the action potentials to output terminals. The determination of the type of stimulus (light, touch, sound, etc. ) is achieved by the nervous system monitoring which neurons are firing (e. g. , optic nerve stimulation indicates light,: signal the intensity of a stimulus. The intensity of a stimulus is identified by the frequency of action potentials in a single neuron and the number of similar neurons firing at the same time.
