Download EQ2.2 - What are neurons

What are neurons, and how do they transmit information?
-Sara
There are two types of cells in the nervous system, glial cells and neurons. Glial cells provide
support and protection for neurons. A neuron is a nerve cell that receives, processes, and transmits
information to other cells in the body. Neurons do not redevelop which means that we have a fixed
number of neurons. About 10,000 neurons die every day but since we start out with between ten and
100 billion, we only lose about 2% of neurons over our lifetime. (For more on neurons see here)
The body’s nervous system is made up of billions of individual cells called neurons. In order
for the neurons to transmit information, it first has to receive signals from other neurons through its
dendrites and cell body. The dendrites are responsible for picking up information from other neurons
and transmitting this information to the cell body which is a part of the nerve cell that contains the
nucleus. Then it combines these signals in the cell body, and at last it transmits an electrical impulse
down its axon, which carries information from the cell body toward other cells. Chemical messengers
are released when the signals come to the end of the axon, which are called neurotransmitters.
Neurotransmitters are the chemical which allow the signals to transfer from one neuron to another
across the synapses. These molecules send messages through the synaptic gap to the neurons in order
for the body to be able to accomplish a task.
http://bigthink.com/ideas/24088
Mr. Lerch -