PSYC 1020H Chapter Notes - Chapter 3: Peripheral Nervous System, Somatic Nervous System, Autonomic Nervous System

• School: Trent University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 1020H
• Professor: Bond Barbara

Document Summary

Nervous system is a complex communication network in which signals are constantly being transmitted, received, and integrated. Nervous system handles information, just as the circulatory system handles blood. Nervous system is living tissue composed of cells. Cells fall into two major categories: glia, neurons. Neurons individual cells in the nervous system that receive, integrate, and transmit information: the basic links that permit communication within the nervous system, diagram on pg. Soma (cell body) contains the cell nucleus and much of the chemical machinery common to most cells. Dendrites parts of a neuron that are specialized to receive information. From the dendrites, information flows into the cell body and then travels away from the soma along the axon. Axon long, thin fibre that transmits signals away from the soma to other neurons or to muscles or glands. Many axons are wrapped in cells with myelin.