Psychology 1100E Chapter Notes - Chapter 4: Synapsis, Corpus Callosum, Master Control
10 Apr 2020
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The basic building blocks of the nervous system. Nerve cells are linked together in circuits, similar to electrical circuits in a computer. At birth, the brain contained about 100 billion neurons. Each neuron has three main parts: cell body or soma. Its nucleus contains the genetic information that determines how the neuron develops and functions. Surface of cell body has receptor areas that can be directly stimulated by other neurons: dendrites. Antennas that collect messages from neighbouring neurons and send them on to the cell body. There in the soma, the incoming information is combined and processed: axon. A single axon extends from one side of the cell body. Conducts electrical impulses away from the cell body to other neurons, muscles, or glands. Branches out at its end to form a number of axon terminals (as many as 700 in some cases)
