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Nervous System Vocab
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| neuron | individual cells in the nervous system that receive, integrate, and transmit information |
| axon | the long, narrow process that projects from the cell body |
| dendrite | the bushy, branching extensions of a neuron that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body |
| synapse | The gaps between adjacent neurons across which chemical signals are transmitted. |
| neurotransmitter | Neurotransmitters molecules that are released from active neurons and influence the activity of other cells |
| sensory neuron | transmit information from eyes and other sensors that detect external stimuli |
| motor neuron | neurons that transmit signals to muscle cells |
| interneurons | that form the local circuits connecting neurons in the brain |
| central nervous system | consists of the brain and the spinal cord |
| peripheral nervous system | the nervous system outside the brain and spinal cord |
| membrane potential | voltage across a membrane. ranges from -50 to -200 millivolts. inside of cell negative compared to the outside |
| action potential | action potential a massive change in membrane voltage |
| synaptic cleft | the small gap between the neurons |