Neuroscience

The Mind and Body are Connected

Within the
nervous system
there are
billions of cells
 Neurons
 highly specialized nerve
cells
 receive, carry and transmit
info through the nervous
system in an
electrochemical form
 Glial Cells
 Support and protect delicate,
fragile neurons
 Fill in gaps and space between

neurons
 Nerve Impulses
 Messages (information)
sent through the neurons
about
 the state of the external

environment, or
 the organism’s reaction to it
 Neurons have
characteristics of other cells,
but are truly unique in that
they can transmit
information over long
distances without any loss
of strength of the original
signal
 Two types of neurons
1. Sensory
 Carryinfo from the senses
about the environment to the
brain
Ascending nerve tracts
2. Motor
Carry info from the brain
signaling the muscles
Relaxglands, secrete etc
Descending nerve tracts
 Thousands of neurons may be
involved in the transmission of a
single message
 100’s of times per minute
 Thebrain alone has billions of
neurons
Anatomy of the
Neuron
Cell Body
 Cell Body
Provides fuel
Manufactures chemicals
Maintains the neuron
Center contains nucleus
Nucleus contains DNA
Nucleus
Dendrites
 Dendrites
Branch-like extensions
that come out of the cell
body
Receives signals and
passes them on to the
cell body
Axon
 Axon
 One per neuron
 Carries signals away from

cell body to the end bulbs

Myelin
Sheath
 Myelin Sheath
 Wraps around and insulates
the axon as it transmits
nerve impulses
Nodes of
Ranvier
 Nodes of Ranvier
Little
areas with no
myelin sheath
Terminal
Buttons
 Terminal Buttons
 Also called end bulbs or
synaptic knobs
 Emits chemicals called
neurotransmitters which excite
or inhibit next neuron for
transmission
Neurotransmitters
Synaptic Gap
 Synaptic Gap
(Synapse)
 Small space between an end
bulb of one neuron and an
organ, muscle or dendrites
 Nerve impulses
(Neurotransmitters) need to
travel across the gap
 Terminal
Mylelin Branch Synapse
Sheath

s
Neurotransmitter
Nucleus Nodes of
Cell Body Ranvier
Dendrites
End Bulbs
Axon
 Law of Forward Conduction

 Nerveimpulses on neurons
can only travel in one direction
 From the dendrites to the
knobs
 How a neuron works:

Step on a nail
Sense receptors in
foot are stimulated
by the pressure
Causes a neuron to
fire an impulse known
as an action potential
Triggers chemical
messages called
neurotransmitters to be
sent to other neurons
The impulse travels
through neurons, each
deciding if the message
should be passed on
Eventually reaches the
brain who interprets the
signal as PAIN!