CAS PS 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Asteroid Family, Myelin, Reuptake

• School: Boston University
• Department: Psychological & Brain Sciences
• Course: CAS PS 101
• Professor: Tracy Dunne

Document Summary

Neurons are the basic building blocks of the nervous system. Communicate with muscles, glands, and other neurons. Glial cells: helpers of neurons; they nourish, get rid of waste, protect, etc. Myelin sheaths are fat surrounding the axon. Causes electrical pulses to jump from node to node because the pulse cannot travel through fat. Myelin allows communication to be faster and more efficient. Multiple sclerosis is a result of myelin disintegration, hence why ms causes muscle function to slow down. Ingredients for neurotransmitters (amino acids) are obtained through food. Example: tryptophan is a precursor to acetylcholine. Action potentials lead to movement of vesicles to axon terminal surface and release of neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters bind to sites on receiving neuron"s membrane. Lock and key model: specific receptors for specific neurotransmitters. Reuptake: excess is taken back up into the neuron it came from. If ach is blocked, muscles no longer contract/expand. Example: botox stops ach in specific facial muscles.