Types of Neurons

Multipolar Neurons

• 2 or more dendrites and single axon

• Most common structural type

• All motor neurons and most interneurons are this

Unipolar Neurons

• Single process exits cell body; fused axon and dendrites

• All sensory neurons in the PNS

Bipolar Neurons

• 2 processes exit cell body: 1 axon and 1 dendrite

• Common in the special sense organs

Anaxonic Neurons

• Dendrites only, no axons

• Some interneurons

What structures will sensory neurons carry information between?

Receptors

What information will somatic sensory neurons carry?

From receptors in skin and joins

What information will visceral sensory neurons carry?

From receptors in organ systems

What structures will motor neurons carry information between?

Effectors

What information will somatic motor neurons carry?

Commands to skeletal muscles

What information will visceral motor neurons carry?

Commands to the organ system

What structures are connected by interneurons?

Sensory and motor neurons

Where in the body are interneurons located?

• In between sensory and motor neurons

• Arranged in groups called neuronal pools

In what type of neuronal pool is information relayed in a series of steps?

Serial Processing

In what type of neuronal pool will several neurons synapse on a single postsynaptic neuron?

Convergence

What type of neuronal pool will allow several neurons to process the same information at the same time?

Parallel Processing

What kind of neuronal pool allows information to spread from one neuron to several?

Divergence