ap psych - unit 1, topic 1.3A

neural communication

neurons

a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system

glial cells

cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, & protect neurons; they also play a role in learning, thinking, & memory

reflex arc

the shortest pathway for an impulse to travel from the receptor organ via the central nervous system to the effector (sensory → interneuron → motor)

sensory neurons

neurons that carry incoming information from the body's tissues & sensory receptors to the brain & spinal cord

motor neurons

neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain & spinal cord to the muscles & glands

interneurons

neurons within the brain & spinal cord; they communicate internally & process information between the sensory inputs & motor outputs