Short Answer Assessment

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Short Answer Assessment

Introduction

Neurons are fundamental units of the brain and the nervous system. They are cells responsible for receiving sensory input from the external world, for sending motor commands to the muscles, and for transforming and relaying the electrical signals at every step in between (Woodruff, 2019). This paper provides a short answer assessment regarding the neuron.

Question 1

A very useful analogy that people use to perceive a neuron is to think of it as a tree. Generally, the neuron has three main parts; dendrites, an axon, and a cell body (soma). Dendrites are where neurons receive impulses from other cells (Woodruff, 2019). The axon is the transmitting part of the neuron while the soma is where the nucleus lies. Impulses are conducted in one direction only, from dendrite to axon terminal, and carried out by the opening and closing of voltage-gated ion channels. This causes a brief reversal of the resting membrane potential to create an action potential (Woodruff, 2019). As an action potential travels down the axon, the polarity changes across the membrane. Once the signal reaches the axon terminal, it stimulates other neurons.

Question 2

Major components of subcortical structures according to Vaskovic (2021) include:

Diencephalon
Pituitary gland
Limbic structures
Basal ganglia.

Components that play a role in learning, memory, and addiction according to Vaskovic (2021):

Diencephalon
Limbic structures

The two key neurotransmitters located in the nigra striatal region of the brain that play a major role in motor control

Dopamine – It is found in substantia nigra pars compacta. It plays a role in how people feel pleasure (Carter et al., 2019).
GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) – found in substantial Nigra Pars Reticulata. It is an inhibitory neurotransmitter and is very widely distributed in the neurons of the cortex (Carter et al., 2019).

Question 3

Glial cells are also called neuroglia. They are cells that are non-neural and are often located within the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. The cells provide physical and metabolic support to neurons (Carter et al., 2019). For example, the kind of support they provide includes neuronal insulation and communication, as well as nutrient and waste transport.

Question 4

Neurons communicate at structures called synapses in a process called synaptic transmission. The synapse connects the two neurons; the one sending information to the other (Carter et al., 2019). The sending neuron is called the pre-synaptic neuron while the receiving neuron is called the postsynaptic neuron. The neurons communicate from dendrite to axon terminal.

Question 5

Neuroplasticity is the ability of the neuron (therefore, the nervous system) to change its activity in response to intrinsic or extrinsic stimuli. It does so by reorganizing its structure, functions, or connections (Carter et al., 2019). Neuroplasticity allows the neurons in the brain to compensate for injury and illness and to adjust their activities in response to new changes. An example of neuroplasticity includes axonal sprouting, whereby undamaged axons grow new nerve endings to reconnect neurons whose links were injured.

Conclusion

Neurons are important components of the brain. Neurons are responsible for receiving sensory input from the internal world. The major components of a neuron include the dendrites, the axon, and the soma. This paper discussed various parts of the brain.

Reference

Carter, R., Aldridge, S., Page, M., & Parker, S. (2019). The human brain book. DK Publishing.