Neuron structure
A neuron is a cell in the nervous system that functions in order to receive or to pass on different forms of information. Neurons are made up of the cell body, many dendrites, and an axon. There are three types of neurons, the interneuron, motor neuron, and the sensory neuron. Each of these neurons is surrounded by many other chemicals and “parts” such as the myelin sheath, axon terminal, nuclei, and the Schwann cell.
The action potential travels down the axon which causes a change in electrochemical across the membrane of the axon, signals are being received from neurons which causes sodium and potassium ions to open and close.
There are five types of the action potential:
- Resting potential: Sodium ions outside of the axon and negative ions inside the axon, overall, a negative voltage charge.
- Depolarization: Sodium ions flow into the axon due to signals causing the axon membrane to open, overall, a positive voltage charge.
- Repolarization: Potassium ions are able to exit the axon which causes a cycle of depolarization, overall, a negative voltage charge
- Refractory period: Sodium is in the inside of the axon and potassium is found outside the axon because of repolarization, at this time neurons must be at resting potential in order for sodium to be pushed outside of the axon and to bring potassium back into the axon, these are their original positions.
- Flow of depolarization: Repolarization is able to transmit depolarization which allows impulses to not travel while being disorganized.
The axon transmits information away from the cell body toward neurons, axons are able to send many messages to different areas of ones body.
Neurons communicate using electricity and chemicals, electrical charge moves through neurons causing chemicals to transmit information to neurons, the information is sued for the signals and messages neurons receive or pass on.
Synapse structure
The action potential, which is an electrical charge that causes movement, slides down the axon, enters the axon terminal bulb, and causes synaptic vesicles to be pushed into the presynaptic membrane in order for them to release neurotransmitters, pass the synaptic gap, and connect to a neurotransmitter receptor located in the dendrite of receiving a neuron. These neurotransmitters are sent by an action potential, and they send different chemical messages. Neurotransmitters may be recycled or received once they have travelled into the postsynaptic membrane, they are many different neurotransmitters that may affect one’s emotions such as acetylcholine, dopamine, endorphins, GABA, glutamate, and serotonin.
There are two types of neurotransmitter messages once they are received:
Excitatory messages are when an action potential is braced and neurons are received.
Inhibitory messages are when an action potential is declined which causes neurotransmitters to move further and further away from receptors, neurons are not received if there are more inhibitory messages than excitatory.
A neurotransmitter is a chemical that sends signals across the synaptic gap between neurons.
As mentioned before, neurotransmitters may be recycled instead of received, after they are recycled a continuous cycle begins. The recycled neurotransmitters are broken down, sent back into the axon, and the cycle of the action potential sending signals once again begins.