Conscious/Unconcious responses + neurons

Typical neural communication

1. Sensory receptors detect the sensation

2. Sensory info passes along afferent tract of PNS, to spinal cord and then brain

3. Interneurons in the brain communicate with motor neurons (response is coordinated)

4. Motor info passes along efferent tract of PNS and then to the effector site

5. Effector site (skeletal muscles) receive info and carry out response

Conscious response

Goal-orientated response

• Always involves info being processed in the brain

Unconcious response

Fight/flight/freeze and spinal reflex

• Doesn’t always involve the brain

Neuron

Individual nerve cell that sends neural messages

• “Responsible for transmitting, receiving and processing info” - signal travels

Glia/glial cells)

Support neurons by holding them in place

• Provide insulation, nutrients, support, repair and eliminate waste products

Dendrites

Detect and receive neurotransmitters (neural info) from pre-synaptic neurons on its receptor sites

• Branch like things near soma

Nucleus

Contains DNA and is responsible for keeping cell alive

• Hole/dark circle

Cell body (soma)

Integrates info received from dendrites and transmits to axon

• Area around dendrites

Myelin sheath

Fatty insulator that prevents neural signal from being lost

• Increases speed of neural signal

• Looks like marshmallows

Axon

Transmits electrical signal (action potential) from cell body to terminal buttons

• Inside myelin sheath

Axon terminal

Stores neurotransmitters in vesicles, and are released into synaptic gap from here

Terminal buttons

At the end of axon terminals

Synapse

Gap between axon terminals (neurons) and dandrites, enabling communication through released neurotransmitters

Pre-synaptic neuron

“Sending cell”

• Releases neural signal

Post-synaptic neuron

“Receiving cell”

• Receives neural info