Neuroscience and Neuronal Communication Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts in neurobiology, cell types, structural support, and mechanisms of neuronal communication.

Schwann Cells

Glial cells in the peripheral nervous system that provide myelin to increase the rate an action potential travels down the axon and assist in the regrowth of damaged axons.

Pyramidal Neurons

The type of neurons that make up the majority of the neuronal population in the cerebral cortex.

Dendrites

The branch-like parts of a neuron that typically receive electrical signals from other neurons.

Glial Cells (Structural Matrix)

The specialized non-neuronal cells that provide the primary structural matrix and support for neurons in the nervous system.

Interneurons

Cells in the central nervous system (CNS) that are primarily responsible for communication within and between brain regions.

Axonal Transport

The cellular mechanism responsible for transporting materials, organelles, and proteins inside a neuron.

$\text{Na}^+$ Influx

The inward movement of sodium ions ($\text{Na}^+$) across the neuronal membrane at the beginning of an action potential.

Metabotropic Receptors

Post-synaptic receptors that activate G-protein secondary messengers to produce long-lasting cellular effects.

Excitatory Post-Synaptic Potential (EPSP)

A signal sent from a pre-synaptic neuron that depolarizes the post-synaptic neuron and increases the likelihood of an action potential occurring.

Relative Refractory Period

The period immediately following an action potential when normal input cannot trigger a new action potential because hyperpolarization makes the membrane potential more negative than at rest.

Resting Potential ($-70\,\text{mV}$)

The baseline electrical charge of a neuron at rest, indicating that the inside of the cell is $70\,\text{mV}$ more negative than the extracellular environment.

GABA-Induced Hyperpolarization

An inhibitory process caused by the neurotransmitter GABA that makes the post-synaptic membrane potential more negative, decreasing the probability of an action potential.