Bio psych

Question 1

Name the seven parts of a neuron.

Answer 1

dendrites
cell body/soma
axon
myelin sheath
terminal buttons
neurotransmitters
synapse/synaptic cleft

Question 2

Explain the function of the following part of a neuron:

dendrite

Answer 2

Dendrites are branch-like arms attached to the cell body that receive information from other neurons.

Question 3

Explain the function of the following part of a neuron:

cell body/soma

Answer 3

The cell body/soma is the “brain” of the neuron, containing the nucleus.

Question 4

Explain the function of the following part of a neuron:

axon

Answer 4

Axons are tube-like structures that transmit information from the cell body to the terminal buttons.

Question 5

Explain the function of the following:

myelin sheath

Answer 5

The myelin sheath is the fatty layer around some axons that allows information to travel faster from the cell body to the terminal buttons.

The myelin sheath also acts as insulation so that signals don’t travel to every adjacent neuron, but just to the intended neuron(s).

Question 6

Explain the function of the following part of a neuron:

terminal buttons

Answer 6

Terminal buttons are where information from the axon ends up, and contain neurotransmitters.

Question 7

What are synonyms for “terminal buttons”?

Answer 7

end buttons
synaptic knobs
axon terminals
terminal branches of axons

Question 8

Explain the function of the following part of a neuron:

neurotransmitters

Answer 8

Neurotransmitters are chemicals in the axon terminals that attempt to communicate with dendrites on other neurons.

Neurotransmitters must “fit” with dendritic receptor sites, like a key in a lock, to continue to the next neuron.

Question 9

Explain the function of the following part of a neuron:

synapse

Answer 9

The synapse, also called the synaptic cleft, is the gap between the axon terminal of one neuron and the information-seeking dendrite of the next neuron. This role as a gap between the terminal buttons and dendrite helps pass chemical or electrical signals from one neuron to the next.

Question 10

True or false:

Chemicals travel within the cells, but are transmitted to other neurons electrically.

Answer 10

FALSE