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Physics of Neurons Essay

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The human nervous system is divided into two parts, the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. The central nervous system, CNS, is just the brain and spinal cord. The peripheral nervous system, PNS, includes the nerves and neurons that extend outwards from CNS, to transmit information to your limbs and organs for example. Communication between your cells is extremely important, neurons are the messengers that relay information to and from your brain.

Nerve cells generate electrical signals to transmit information. Neurons are not necessarily intrinsically great electrical conductors, however, they have evolved specialized mechanisms for propagating signals based on the flow of ions across their membranes.

In their …show more content…

Dendrites are the primary target for synaptic input from other neurons and compose the "extensive branching." The complexity of the dentritic branching is directly related to the number of inputs a neuron can recieve. So neurons with lots of dendrites are able to process information at a greater rate than neurons with fewer dendrites.

Most neurons do not make direct connections with surrounding neurons, signals (molecules) must make the transition from the presynaptic (upstream) neuron to the postsynaptic (downstream) neuron. This transition space is called the synaptic cleft. The exchange of information from the pre- to postsynaptic neuron is called a synapse.

Information conveyed by the synapses on the dendrites is processed and projected from the axon. The axon is extraordinary, it is specialized for signal conduction to the next neuron. Axons vary in length, the ones in your brain are relatively short in comparison to the axons that run from your spinal cord down to your foot (about a meter long).

The electrical event that projects the signal along these distances is known as an action potential. The action potential runs from the axon hillock to the end of the axon where more synaptic contacts are made. Target cells of neurons include nerve cells in your brain, spinal cord, cells of your muscles and various glands.

Axons are like wires in

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