PSYC 109W Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Rais, Voltage-Gated Potassium Channel, Depolarization
27 Feb 2017
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Document Summary
Two classes of cells make up the brain. Nerve cells: receive, integrate and transmit information; Neurons have elaborate and numerous extensions/branches that extend long distances: branches allow neurons to contact one another in the brain. Dendrites like branches of a tree, relatively thick as they emerge from the cell and dividing off and becoming thinner at each branch point. Axons thinner at point of origin and remain constant in diameter along most of their length. Prominent feature of axon is the presence of synaptic vesicles within the terminal; tiny vesicles that store the chemicals released at the synapse. Drugs affect brain by modifying synaptic activity. Neurons send signals to other neurons via specialized contacts known as synapses. The most common type of synapse in the nervous system is known as a chemical synapse. Typically, a chemical synapse occurs between the axon terminal of the neuron sending the message, and the dendrite of the neuron receiving the message.
