PSYC 1010 Chapter Notes - Chapter 3: Excitatory Postsynaptic Potential, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Inhibitory Postsynaptic Potential

• School: York University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 1010
• Professor: Rebecca Jubis

Document Summary

Readings- chapter 3 the biological bases of behaviour. nervous system is living tissue composed of cells. neurons: individual cells in the nervous system that receive, integrate & transmit information. Soma or cell body: contains the cell nucleus & much of the chemical machinery common to most cells. neurons have a bunch of branched, tree-like structures called dendrites. dendrites: the parts of a neuron that are specialized to receive information. Axon: a long, thin fibre that transmits signals away from the soma to other neurons or to muscles or glands; they can be as long as a metre. Axons are wrapped by white, fatty substance called myelin sheath. myelin sheath: insulating material, derived from glial cells, that encases some axons. myelin sheath speeds up the transmission of signals that move along axons. If an axon"s myelin sheath deteriorates, signals may not be effectively transmitted sometimes lead to multiple sclerosis.