Types of Neurons AP Psych

spinal cord

a tube of nerves that connects the brain to the rest of the body

afferent neurons/sensory

neurons that carry INCOMING information from the sensory receptors in the body to the spinal cord and to the brain for processing

efferent neurons/motor

neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain to the spinal cord and to the body

interneurons

neurons that act as a middle man between other neurons

mirror neurons

a neuron that fires when someone performs a movement and when someone observes that movement performed by someone else

resting potential

the imbalance of electrical charge that exists between the inside and outside of the neuron when it isn’t being used

ion channels

gates in the axon that allow ions to flow in and out of the cell and change the flow of the cell

depolarization

when the inside of the cell becomes more positively charged

• happens when ion channels open and sodium and potassium ions rush in and out of the cell

threshold

a specific charge that must be reached inside of the axon before the neuron can fire an action potential

action potential

the firing potential of the neuron; an electrical impulse

all-or-nothing principle

the action potential either fires or it doesn’t (all or nothing)

refractory period

the recovery period after an action potential