Pychology term 3 definitions

Flash cards

Neuron

A specialised nerve cell that sends and receives information throughout the body using electrical and chemical signals.

Axon

The long part of a neuron that carries electrical impulses away from the cell body to other cells.

Axon hillock

The part of the neuron where electrical impulses (action potentials) begin before travelling down the axon.

Cell body (Soma)

The main part of the neuron that contains the nucleus and keeps the cell alive by controlling its activities.

Dendrite

Branch-like extensions that receive messages from other neurons and carry them to the cell body

Myelin sheath

A fatty insulating layer around the axon that helps electrical signals travel faster.

Axon terminal

The end of the axon that releases neurotransmitters to communicate with the next cell.

Synapse

The tiny gap between two neurons where neurotransmitters pass messages from one neuron to another.

Astrocyte

A type of glial cell that supports neurons by supplying nutrients, removing waste, and helping maintain the blood-brain barrier.

Glial cell

A support cell in the nervous system that protects, nourishes, and helps neurons function properly.

Oligodendrocyte

A glial cell found in the brain and spinal cord that forms the myelin sheath around axons in the central nervous system (CNS).

Schwann cell

A glial cell that forms the myelin sheath around axons in the peripheral nervous system (PNS).

Microglia

Small glial cells that act as the immune defence of the brain by removing damaged cells, waste, and harmful microorganisms.

Ependymal cell

A glial cell that lines the brain's ventricles and spinal cord, helping produce and circulate cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

Neurotransmitter

A chemical messenger released by neurons to carry signals across a synapse to another neuron, muscle, or gland.

Parts of a Neuron

-Cell body
-Nucleus
-Dendrites
-Axon Hillock
-Axon
-Synapse