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Neuron Research Paper

Satisfactory Essays

Trevor Entwisle
Psychology 1003
Instructor: Ryan Hjelle
9/17/2015
Neurons are the basic building blocks of the nervous system. These specialized cells are the information-processing units for the brain and are responsible for receiving and transmitting information. Each specific part of the neuron plays a role in the communication throughout the body of information. First, the Dendrites are treelike extensions at the beginning of a neuron that help increase the surface area of the cell body. These tiny protrusions receive information from other neurons and transmit electrical stimulation to the soma. The soma is where the signals from the dendrites are joined and then passed on. The nucleus and the soma do not play a role in the transmission of the neural signal. Instead, these two structures …show more content…

Next, the axon hillock, which is located at the end of the soma; controls the firing of the neurons. If the total strength of the signal exceeds the threshold limit of the axon hillock, the structure will fire a signal down the axon. The axon is the elongated fiber that extends from the cell body to the terminal endings and passes on the neural signal. The faster the information moves, the larger the axon is. Lastly, the terminal buttons, which are located at the end of the neuron are responsible for delivering the signal on to other neurons. At the end of the terminal button is a gap known as a synapse. The All-Or-None Law means that a neuron either fires or it doesn't, depending upon the number of excitatory and inhibitory inputs it gets. Each time it fires it does so with the same level of intensity; it has the possibility to fire more often, such as in signaling a tight squeeze from your head basketball coach, or less often, such as in signaling a gentle touch from a significant figure in you life. No matter the neuron, each time the action potential will be

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