Psychology 1000 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Myelin, Neuroglia, Axon Terminal

• School: Western University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: Psychology 1000
• Professor: Atkinson

Document Summary

Neurons: basic building blocks of the nervous system, 3 main parts, cell body (soma, contains structures needed to keep the neuron alive (ex. nucleus, surface has receptor areas that can be directly stimulated by other neurons. Is interrupted at regular intervals by the nodes of ranvier: electrical conduction can skip from node to node, allowing for high conduction speeds. Inhibitory transmitters will hyperpolarize the postsynaptic cell membrane by stimulating the outflow of k+ or inflow of cl-, decreasing likelihood of action potential. Dopamine (voluntary movement, emotional arousal, learning, motivation, pleasure: sensory neurons: carry input messages from sense organs to spinal cord and brain, motor neurons: transmit output impulses from brain and spinal cord to muscles and organs. Interneurons: perform connective or associative functions within the nervous system: ex. we recognize a tune because interneurons link hearing with memory, allows complex mental functions, emotions, and behaviour.