PSYCH 2AA3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 4: Neural Tube, Synaptic Pruning, Neural Plate
8 Dec 2015
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Document Summary
The basic unit of the brain and the rest of the nervous system is the neuron a cell that specializes in receiving and transmitting information. The cell body at the center of the neuron contains the basic biological machinery that keeps the neuron alive. The receiving end of the neuron, the dendrite, looks like a tree with many branches: the highly branched dendrite allows one neuron to receive input from many thousands of other neurons. The slender, elongated structure at the end of the cell body is the axon sends information to other neurons. The axon is wrapped in myelin fatty sheath that allows it to transmit information more rapidly. At the end of the axon are small knobs called terminal buttons they release neuro-transmitters chemicals hat carry information to nearby neurons. The terminal buttons of one axon don"t actually touch the dendrites of other neurons neurons. The gap between one neuron and the next is a synapse.
