Neuronal Communication
Neurons are cells that are located in the nervous systems of humans and other animals and
they are responsible for transmitting information from the brain to the body and vice versa.
There are many different types of neurons, but they can only be either motor or sensory
neurons. According to the textbook, a motor neuron is a neuron with its soma in the spinal
cord, which receives stimulation through its dendrites and conducts impulses along its axon
to a muscle. A sensory neuron is a neuron that is specifically sensitive to a particular type of
stimulation, such as light, sound, or touch. All neurons have dendrites, soma/cell body,
axons, and presynaptic terminals. Dendrites are responsible for bringing information into the
neuron, the soma/cell body contains the nucleus, mitochondria, and ribosomes and it is
responsible for the metabolic work of the neuron, the axons are responsible for transmitting
nerve impulses to other neurons, organs, or muscles, and the presynaptic terminals are
responsible for releasing chemicals to allow the neuron to communicate with other neurons.
The neuron has a resting potential (the state of the neuron before it’s active) and an action
potential. The action potential is a state when the neuron is excited and it allows sodium to
enter the cell rapidly, which is against the cell’s electrical gradient. At the resting potential,
sodium is more concentrated outside the cell and potassium is more concentrated inside the
cell. Neurons communicate via neurotransmitters. Some types of neurotransmitters are
amino acids, acetylcholine, monoamines, neuropeptides, purines, and gases. Neurons can
also allow our brain to change due to neuroplasticity. In the video “brain hacks,”
neuroplasticity is defined as the ability of the brain to change based on stimuli that is given,
and it also allows us to learn new things and allows the structure of our brain to change.
Three insights that I found particularly interesting when learning about neurons are:
1. The brain’s structure is able to change due to neuroplasticity. This is something
phenomenal and I never knew the brain was capable of changing like that until I
watched the documentary about brain hacks.
2. Certain structures in the brain can change in size because of a change in someone’s
environment, habits, or emotional state. For example, having control over negative
emotions can decrease the size of the amygdala.
3. The larger the surface area of dendrites, the more information they are able to
receive.
References:
1. James W. Kalat, Biological Psychology, 13th Edition, Cengage.
2. Kopinska, Agnieszka. “Nerve Cells and Nerve Impulses and Synapses.” Biological
Basis of Behaviour. 4 July, 2024, York University, Toronto, ON. Lecture.
3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SwUqo0fQr0&t=46s&ab_channel=Kokoro_Ceda
r
Neurons are cells that are located in the nervous systems of humans and other animals and
they are responsible for transmitting information from the brain to the body and vice versa.
There are many different types of neurons, but they can only be either motor or sensory
neurons. According to the textbook, a motor neuron is a neuron with its soma in the spinal
cord, which receives stimulation through its dendrites and conducts impulses along its axon
to a muscle. A sensory neuron is a neuron that is specifically sensitive to a particular type of
stimulation, such as light, sound, or touch. All neurons have dendrites, soma/cell body,
axons, and presynaptic terminals. Dendrites are responsible for bringing information into the
neuron, the soma/cell body contains the nucleus, mitochondria, and ribosomes and it is
responsible for the metabolic work of the neuron, the axons are responsible for transmitting
nerve impulses to other neurons, organs, or muscles, and the presynaptic terminals are
responsible for releasing chemicals to allow the neuron to communicate with other neurons.
The neuron has a resting potential (the state of the neuron before it’s active) and an action
potential. The action potential is a state when the neuron is excited and it allows sodium to
enter the cell rapidly, which is against the cell’s electrical gradient. At the resting potential,
sodium is more concentrated outside the cell and potassium is more concentrated inside the
cell. Neurons communicate via neurotransmitters. Some types of neurotransmitters are
amino acids, acetylcholine, monoamines, neuropeptides, purines, and gases. Neurons can
also allow our brain to change due to neuroplasticity. In the video “brain hacks,”
neuroplasticity is defined as the ability of the brain to change based on stimuli that is given,
and it also allows us to learn new things and allows the structure of our brain to change.
Three insights that I found particularly interesting when learning about neurons are:
1. The brain’s structure is able to change due to neuroplasticity. This is something
phenomenal and I never knew the brain was capable of changing like that until I
watched the documentary about brain hacks.
2. Certain structures in the brain can change in size because of a change in someone’s
environment, habits, or emotional state. For example, having control over negative
emotions can decrease the size of the amygdala.
3. The larger the surface area of dendrites, the more information they are able to
receive.
References:
1. James W. Kalat, Biological Psychology, 13th Edition, Cengage.
2. Kopinska, Agnieszka. “Nerve Cells and Nerve Impulses and Synapses.” Biological
Basis of Behaviour. 4 July, 2024, York University, Toronto, ON. Lecture.
3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SwUqo0fQr0&t=46s&ab_channel=Kokoro_Ceda
r
