Psych 4

What is the fatty tissue that surrounds some neurons and what is its purpose?

Myelin Sheath, it coats the axon, acting as an insulator, increasing the speed at which the axon travels.

What is the chemical that transfers information from one neuron to another, (it is the chemical that travels across the synaptic gap)?

Neurotransmitter, it transfers "messages" across the nervous system.

Synaptic Vesicles:

Synaptic vesicles, located in the terminal button, and house the neurotransmitters.

Myelin Sheath:

The Myelin Sheath coats the axon, acting as an insulator, increasing the speed at which the axon travels.

Axon:

The axon is an extension from the soma, the signals are sent down the terminal buttons.

Terminal Button:

The axon terminal that contains the synaptic vesicles.

What is the function of the neuron?

The neuron's function is to process information throughout the nervous system, relaying tasks across it.

What is the purpose of this chemical?

The purpose of the neurotransmitter is to transfer messages to other neurons in the nervous system.

Receptors:

The site where neurotransmitters attach to the proteins on the cell surface attach.

Soma:

The soma, or cell body, contains the nucleus.

What is the gap between neurons called?

The synapse, it is a small gap between neurons that acts as a place where communication occurs between neurons.

What is a neuron?

A Neuron is a cell in the nervous system that processes information.

Semipermeable Membrane

A cell membrane that molecules without electrical charge or smaller molecules can pass through.

A brief electrical charge that travels down the axon of a neuron is a neural impulse. What is another name for the "neural impulse"?

Another name for the neural impulse is "action potential".

Synapse:

The synapse is a small gap between neurons that acts as a place where communication occurs between neurons.

Dendrites:

Dendrites are extensions of the soma that receive incoming signals from other neurons.