Neuroscience Concepts and Functions

Front

What is the nerve cell body/soma?

Back

The nerve cell body, also known as the soma, houses the nucleus and many of the organelles needed for neuron function.

Front

What is the axon?

Back

The axon is a long process that comes off the nerve cell body from a region called the axon hillock, and its job is to initiate the electrical signal.

Front

What is the terminus in neuron function?

Back

The terminus releases chemicals called neurotransmitters, which transmit information from neurons to other cells.

Front

What is white matter?

Back

White matter is made up of axons surrounded by myelin, a fatty substance, and serves as communication highways, facilitating the rapid transmission of signals.

Front

What is the Central Nervous System?

Back

The Central Nervous System consists of the brain and spinal cord.

Front

What is a neurotransmitter?

Back

A neurotransmitter is a chemical released by neurons that transmits signals to other neurons or cells.

Front

What is the function of myelin?

Back

Myelin is a fatty substance that insulates axons, increasing the speed of electrical signal transmission.

Front

What is the role of the synaptic cleft?

Back

The synaptic cleft is the gap between neurons where neurotransmitters are released and received.

Front

What is gray matter?

Back

Gray matter consists of neuronal cell bodies and is involved in processing and interpreting information.

Front

What is an interneuron?

Back

An interneuron is a type of neuron that connects other neurons within the Central Nervous System.