PSYC 1000 Chapter Notes - Chapter 3: Monoamine Neurotransmitter, Alprazolam, Indirect Agonist
Document Summary
Neurons: one of the main types of cells throughout the nervous system that is responsible for sending and receiving signals throughout the body. Their primary function is to fire , to receive messages from other neurons and send them to other neurons. Cell body: the part that contains the nucleus and genetic material of the cell. Dendrites: branch-like projections attached to the cell body that receive information from preceding neurons and transmit messages to the rest of the cell. Axon terminals contain neurotransmitters, chemicals that function as messengers to communicate. 70mv: electrostatic gradient: the interior and the exterior of the neuron have different charges, concentration gradient: the density of a certain ion between two areas, the steps of action potential, resting state, depolarization. Some na+ channels open and the influx of positive charges depolarizes the cell. If the depolarization reaches threshold, action potential is triggered: rising phase. More na+ channels open and k+ channels remain closed.