PSYC 1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Axon Hillock, Myelin, 3 Lbs

• School: UCSC
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 1
• Professor: B E N S T O R M, M A U R E E N C A L L A N A N, K I M C A R D I L L A

Document Summary

The brain: 3 lbs of tissue, uses 20% of oxygen, very fragile. Mild concussions in children, even w/ no immediate effects, can have permanent effects. So, protect your head! (wear a bike helmet) Components of the neuron: dendrites: receive information from other neurons, soma (cell body): integrates information from dendrites, axon hillock: beginning of axon next to soma, axon: long extension from sell body that transmits information to other neurons. *myelin sheath: insulates the nerve cell, speeds up conduction of nerve messages. *nodes of ranvier: gaps between myelin sheath: terminal buttons: release transmitter into synaptic cleft. Polarization: interior and exterior of neuron have both positive and negative, at rest , the net charge of inferior is negative relative exterior that creates a voltage difference like a battery, voltage changes: Graded potential: stimulation a neuron by other neurons can lead to. Excitation (depolarize or less negative) and thus increasing the likelihood of an action potential.