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Title: The Neuron- Basics
Description: Taken in my upper-level physiological psychology course. These notes cover different categories of neurons (sensory/motor/inter), and a neuron's basic external and internal structure.
Description: Taken in my upper-level physiological psychology course. These notes cover different categories of neurons (sensory/motor/inter), and a neuron's basic external and internal structure.
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● Neuron
○ Nerve cells
○ specialized; receives and sends “messages” or “info” from brain to body
○ messages = electrochemical signals
● Categories of Neurons
○ Sensory Neurons
: detects changes in the environment
■ sents info about changes to CNS
■ Particularly sensitive to “senses” stimuli
○ Motor Neurons
: controls contractions of muscles or the secretion of a gland
■ located w/in CNS
■ Soma(body of a neuron) in spinal cord
○ Interneurons
: transmits impulses btw other neurons, esp
...
Sensory Neuron
○ Motor neurons
■ more dendrites
○ Sensory
■ soma in the middle of the axon
■ longer
● Types of Neurons
○ Multipolar
: 1 axon, many dendrites, most common in CNS
■ spinal motor neurons, pyramidal neurons, purkinje cells
■ axon splits into two
○ Bipolar
: to processes extending from the cell body
■ usually sensory neurons
■ retinal cells; olfactory epithelium cells
■ soma is right in the middle of the axon
○ Unipolar
: 1 primary process that give rise to several branches (axon and dendrites)
■ some sensory neurons and ganglia of the ANS (ex: DRG; dorsal root ganglia)
■ soma is coming off of the middle of the axon
● Internal structure
○ Membrane
: made up of lipids; defines outer boundaries of
○ Nucleus
: in the center of a cell; contains the nucleolus and chromosomes
■ nucleolus produces ribosomes
○ DNA
: long, complex macromolecule consisting of 2 interconnected helical strands
○ Chromosomes
: made up of DNA; found in nucleus and carries genetic info
○ Genes
: functional unit of the chromosome; directs synthesis of 1 or more proteins
○ mRNA
: macromolecule that delivers genetic info about the synthesis of a protein from a
portion of a chromosome to a ribosome
○ Enzyme
: molecule that controls a chemical reaction, combining 2 substances or breaking a
substance into 2 parts
○ ncRNA
: a form of RNA that doesn’t code for a protein but has many functions of its own
■ “noncoding”RNA
○ Cytoplasm
: viscous, semiliquid substance contained in a cell
○ Mitochondrion
: organelle responsible for extracting energy from nutrients
○ ATP
: a very important molecule in cellular energy metabolism; when ATP is broken down,
it liberates (produces) energy
○ Endoplasmic Reticulum:
parallel layers of membrane found in a cell’s cytoplasm
■ Rough ER: contains ribosomes; produces proteins secreted by the cell
■ Smooth ER: site of lipid synthesis; provides channels for the segregation of
molecules involved in
○ Excytosis
: cell secretion of a substance via vesicles (ex: the way NT’S are secreted)
○ Lysome
: organelle surrounded by membrane; contains enzymes that break down waste
products
○ Cytoskeleton
: formed by microtubes and other protein fibers that are linked together
○ Microtubules
: long strand of bundled protein filaments arranged around a hollow core;
part of the cytoskeleton
● Supporting Cells- GLIA
○ Astrocyte
: provides support for CNS neurons
■ shape of a star
■ provide nutrients and other substances
■ regulates chemical composition of the extracellular fluid
○ Oligodendrocyte
: found in the CNS; forms myelin sheath
○ Microglia
: smallest type of glial cells; phagocytes and protects brain from invading
microorganisms
○ Schwann Cell:
found in PNS; forms myelin sheath
● Blood Brain Barrier
○ layer of membrane which protects the brain from blood getting into it
○ semipermeable (some things can get past it) barrier btw the blood and brain; produced by
the cells in the walls of the brain
■ selectively permeable oxygen can get through it
○ Area Postrema:
region of the medulla where the blood barrier is weak
■ poisons can be detected here and can initiate vomiting
● Neural communication examples
○ Withdrawal reflex
man touches hot wire, immediately removes his hand from it
■ sensory neuron detects painful stimuli
■ dendrites are stimulated by a noxious stimulis
■ sends message down axon to the buttons (located in spine)
■ terminal buttons of interneuron sends messages down its axon
■ terminal buttons of interneuron release a neurotransmitter that excites the motor
neuron; sends message down its axon
■ axon of the motor neuron joins a nerve and travels down muscle
■ terminal buttons of the motor neuron release their neurotransmitters muscle
contracts; causing hand to move away from the hot object
○ Inhibition
you’re holding a hot casserole dish, grab out of oven w/o oven mitts
■ axon from a neuron in the brain reaches the spinal cord where its terminal buttons
form synapses w/ an inhibitory interneuron
■ when this nerve in the brain becomes active, its terminal buttons excite the
inhibitory interneuron
■ interneuron releases an inhibitory neurotransmitter (i
...
GABA), which decreases
activity of the motor neuron BLOCKS withdrawal reflex
■ you don’t drop the dish, you hold on long enough to
set it down
on the counter
instead
Title: The Neuron- Basics
Description: Taken in my upper-level physiological psychology course. These notes cover different categories of neurons (sensory/motor/inter), and a neuron's basic external and internal structure.
Description: Taken in my upper-level physiological psychology course. These notes cover different categories of neurons (sensory/motor/inter), and a neuron's basic external and internal structure.