Types of neurons

• • Neurons are cells that make up the nervous system - there is about 100 million in total.
• Main parts of a neuron

  • Cell body (soma)
  • Multiple dendrites that collect information from other cells
  • Single axon which transmits an electrical nerve impulse to other cells across a tiny gap called a synapse
  • Axons may be myelinated to increase conduction speed
  • Each cell has on average 7000 synaptic connections, with some having many more
• Types of Neuron


  • Sensory
  • Motor
  • Relay
• Reflex Arc

  1.     Sensory neuron detects stimulus

  2.     Impulse travels to the spinal cord

  3.     Relay neuron passes activation to motor neuron

  4.     Motor neuron sends the signal to the effectors

  5.     The effectors (muscles and glands) produce a response

  
• Sensory neurons (the pregnant one). They detect stimulus and sensory information and sends it to the brain (CNS). They have long dendrites and short axons, the axons usually have myelin sheath.
• Motor neurons. They communicate information from the CNS (brain and spinal cord) and deliver the messages to the effector muscles and glands. They have short dendrites and long axons.
• Relay neurons. These make up majority of the nervous system. They transmit information between the sensory and relay neuron. They usually have short dendrites and short axons.