Neuron- highly specialized cell that transmits electrical impulses
Stephen M. Fowler
Nervous System
Central Nervous System (CNS)- brain and spinal chord
Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)- all nerves extending from and going to the CNS
Composed of over 100 billion neurons
Elements of a Neuron
Neurotransmitters
Are required along with vesicles to transmit a nerve impulse from one neuron to another over the synapse.
Classes of Neurons
Afferent- do not have dendrites: transmit impulses from specialized structures to the Central Nervous System
Efferent- conduct electrical signals from the CNS to muscle or glad cells
Inter- reside entirely within the CNS and make up about 99% of all neurons
Neuroscience Terminology
Nerve- bundle of axons in the PNS
Pathway- bundle of axons in the CNS
Commissure- a collection of nerve fibers linking the left and right halves of the CNS
Nuclei- cell bodies linked together in the CNS
Ganglia- cell bodies linked together in the PNS
References
Pasternak
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
http://psych.athabascau.ca/html/Psych402/Biotutorials/2/myelin.shtml