Neurons, Synapse and Neurotransmitters

ABOUT NEURONS

The neural network of the human body is a complex system to deal with. The building blocks of the nervous system are the nerve cells called neurons. Each nerve cell leads to the transferring information and carrying out neural messages that help us react to the stimulus provided. The two times of the neurons that are helpful in doing so are called: 1. Sensory neurons and 2. Motor neurons. The first one is responsible for transmitting information from the sense organs to the brain through the spinal cord with the help of neurons whereas the second one does just the opposite. It sends messages from the brain and spinal cord via the body tissues and make reactions happen to a particular action. The structure of the neuron is attached below: 


Fig 1: Motor neurons.

The branch-like structure that emerges from the cell body are the dendrites. These structures are useful in catching up the information that is being transmitted to it from the terminal endings of one cell to the the  denndrites of the other cell. The message passes down all the way through the axons till the terminal branches of the cell. Henceforth, this information is passed to the spinal cord and the brain for further processing. the electrical charge that travels across the length of the axon is called neural impulse or action potential. The axon is covered by myelin sheath that protects the axons and speeds up the process of action potential. 

Fig 2: Action Potential.

Therefore, to define action potential more precisely we can say that it that nerve charge that is generated by the neurons so as to transmit the signals to the target tissues. In the first phase called as the threshold phase or hypopolarization phase causes increase in the membrane potential levels due to which it leads to the opening up of channels. This leads to the second phase of depolarization, in which there is a huge influx of positive sodium ions. During depolarization, the sodium positive ion influx is so much that it reaches a stage of electrochemical equilibrium. this state of extreme positivity is called overshoot. After the overshoot, the sodium permeability suddenly decreases due to the closing of its channels. The overshoot value of the cell potential opens voltage-gated potassium channels, which causes a large potassium efflux, decreasing the cell’s electropositivity. This phase is the repolarization phase, whose purpose is to restore the resting membrane potential. Repolarization always leads first to hyperpolarization, a state in which the membrane potential is more negative than the default membrane potential. But soon after that, the membrane establishes again the values of membrane potential. 


Fig 3: Stages of Action Potential.

This is how the messages are being conveyed from the sense organs to the brain and spinal cord which forms the essential parts of the central nervous system (CNS). 

ABOUT SYNAPSE & NEUROTRANSMITTERS

As mentioned above, the point of contact where the terminal branch endings of sending axon gets connected to the dendrites of the receiving axon is called as the synapse. The slight gap between them is termed as the synaptic cleft or synaptic gap. When the nerve impulse/ action potential reaches the terminal endings of the axon, it releases the chemical substances called neurotransmitters. 


Fig 4: The discharge of neurotransmitters.

This was how the neurotransmitters get discharged into the neurons and convey the information and carry out their functions. Some of the common and essential neurotransmitters are as follows: 



 Fig 5: Important Neurotransmitters

Henceforth according to a particular release of a neurotransmitter, the human body reacts and behaves in a particular way. This was how the nervous system is related to the overall functioning and action-reaction phase of the human body. 












 

 

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