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Neuron Paper

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Submitted By zoee
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Neurons are the specialized cells of the nervous system. There are three types of neurons: sensory neurons, motor neurons, and interneurons. Sensory neurons are involved with sensation, such as feeling pain, and they relay messages to the brain or spinal cord. Motor neurons transmit impulses from the central nervous system to activate parts of the body, such as muscles or glands. Interneurons receive signals from sensory neurons and from hormones and act like bridges transferring messages between the sensory neurons and motor neurons. The central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) is made almost entirely from interneurons. They are what make complex reflexes and the higher associative functions required for learning and memory possible.
Communication between neurons, also termed neurotransmission or synaptic transmission is accomplished by the movement of chemicals and electrical signals across a synapse.
Interneurons function by receiving information or messages (input) from other neurons, processing the information, and then sending this ‘output’ to other neurons through synapses. There are electrical synapses as well as chemical synapses. The electrical synapses are involved with long distance rapid communication. Chemical synapses process neurotransmission involving chemical messengers, or neurotransmitters.
When neurons receive the threshold amount of electrical impulses or messages through dendrites they are triggered to fire and release stores of neurotransmitters. The neurons that send the message are called presnynaptic neurons and neurons that receive the message on the other side are called postsynaptic neurons. Sacs called synaptic vesicles are housed in the presynaptic buttons located in the tip of the nerve ending (dendrite). As the neural impulse or action potential reaches the terminal button some of the synaptic vesicles release their

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