Class notes
Lecture notes: Biopsychology - A level Psychology AQA
- Course
- Institution
In depth lecture notes for each lesson provided with summary, diagrams, keywords required to answer all types of questions (AO1, AO2, AO3)
[Show more]
Seller
Follow
sowmyatallam
Content preview
Neuron TransmissionKEY TERMS:
● NEURONS - the basic building blocks of the nervous system, neurons are nerve cells that
process and transmit messages through electrical and chemical signals
● SENSORY NEURONS - carry messages from the PNS to the CNS. long dendrites and short
axons
● RELAY NEURONS - connect the sensory neurons to the motor or other relay neurons. Short
dendrites and short axons
● MOTOR NEURONS - connect the CNS to effectors such as muscles and glands. Short
dendrites and long axons
STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF NEURONS -
100 billion neurons in the human nervous system
80% located in the brain
Transmits electrical impulses electrically or chemically
Neurons provide the nervous system with
communication
● Types of neurons -
➔ There are 3 types of neurons, Motor,
Relay and Sensory
● The structure of a Neuron -
➔ They vary in size from less than a
millimeter to up to a metre long
with same basic structure
➔ The cell body (soma) includes the
nucleus (contains genetic material).
➔ Branched - like structure called
dendrites protrude from the cell body. Carry nerve impulses from neighbouring
neurons towards the cell body
➔ The axon carries the impulses away from the cell body down the length of the
neurons. Axons are covered in a fatty layer of myelin sheath, protects the axon and
speeds up electrical transmission of the impulse
➔ Continuous myelin sheath would have a reverse effect and slow down the electrical
impulse. Myelin sheath is segmented by gaps called Nodes of Ranvier
➔ Speeds up the transmission of the impulse by forcing it to “jump” across the gaps
along the axon
➔ Finally, at the end of the axon are terminal buttons that communicate with the next
neuron in the chain across a gap known as the the synapse
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller sowmyatallam. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $11.89. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
57727 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 14 years now