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ap psychology - neuron parts Flashcards

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15479159488neurona nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system0
15479159489dendritesa neuron's bushy, branching extensions that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body1
15479159490cell bodythe cell's life support center (part that the dendrites branch off of!)2
15479159491axonthe neuron extension that passes messages through its branches to other neurons or to muscles or glands (line that passes through the clear tube and connects the neurons)3
15479159492myelin sheatha fatty tissue layer segmentally encasing the axons of some neurons; enables vastly greater transmission speed as neural impulses hop from one node to the next (clear tubey/bubble parts that encases the axon)4
15479159493nodes of the ranvierperiodic gaps in the myelin sheath on the axon serves to facilitate the rapid conduction of nerve impulses.5
15479159494synaptic vesiclesmembrane-bounded compartments in which synthesized neurotransmitters are kept found in the terminal buttons6
15479159495terminal buttonsthe branched end of the axon that contains neurotransmitters7
15479159496dendrite receptorsa site on the receiving neurons dendrite in which neurotransmitters dock to continue the message8
15479159497positive ions (resting potential)on the outside of the axon9
15479159498negative ionson the inside of the axon10
15479159499neurotransmitterschemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons11
15532964353post synaptic potentialVoltage change at a receptor site on a postsynaptic cell membrane (NOT ALL OR NONE LAW. Can transmit different amounts/ conduct different voltages).12
15532969351action potentiala neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon13
15532973127resting potentialthe negatively charged state of a neuron when a message IS NOT being transmitted.14

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