Question

1. Identify and describe the key structures and functions of a neuron

2. Discuss how communication among the neurons takes place including

how an action potential is generated within the neuron

3. Identify and describe the two major divisions of the nervous system

including all subcomponents and functions (central and peripheral;

somatic and autonomic)

Answer 1

The neuron is a nerve cell in the nervous system that receives, processes and transmits information through electrical and chemical signal. It comprises of a long structure called dendrite that is responsible for receiving information. The cell body (soma) is responsible for processing the information and the axon delivers the output through the terminal bouttons.

The terminal buttons contain the chemical messengers,neurotransmitters,which are responsible for communication among neurons. An action potential is generated when the neuron sends an information towards the axon, away from the cell body. An electrical activity is genrated and the neuron becomes active.

The nervous system is dived into central nervous system (CNS) (the brain and spinal cord) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS) (nervous system outside of the spinal cord and brain). The PNS is composed of the nerves which sends message to the CNS gathered by the sensory receptors. The CNS then receives and integrates the information and responds accordingly.