NURS_6630_Week1_Assignment Anatomy of the Neuron
NURS_6630_Week1_Assignment Anatomy of the Neuron
Anatomy of the Neuron
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Anatomy of the Neuron
The neuron has the following parts; the cell body, axon, dendrites, myelin sheath, Schwann cells and the axon terminals. The cell body contains the nucleus while the protrusions called dendrons extend from the cell body. On the dendrons arises finer branching extensions referred to as dendrites whereas the axon arises from the cell body at the axon hillock. The axon is covered by insulating substance called myelin sheath, which contains the Schwann cells. The neuron receives the signals at the dendrite trees, at which point it then fires the impulse by action potential through the axon to the terminal dendrites that make connections with target cells such as the muscle cells.
Subcortical Structure
The subcortical structures are; diencephalon, pituitary gland, limbic structures and the basal ganglia. The limbic structure controls learning, memory and addiction. The key neurotransmitters located in the nigra striatal region of the brain that play a major role in motor control are dopamine and gamma –aminobutyric acid (GABA) (Sonne & Beato, 2018). There are four main types of glial cells in the adult nervous systems, that is, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, microglia and Schwann cells. Astrocytes help regulate flow of blood in the brain, maintain the composition of fluids around the neurons and regulate communication between neurons at the synapse. Microglia remove the dead cells and unwanted materials around the neurons. The Schwann and oligodendrocytes have a protective role since they produce myelin sheath that insulates the axon and increases speed of transmission of nerve impulses along the axon (Sonne & Beato, 2018). At the synapse, the parts associated with the communication process of the neurons include the dendrites and the cell bodies of the other neurons. The direction of flow of the electrical impulses is from the presynaptic cell membrane of dendrites to the post synaptic cell membrane of the cell body of another neuron through acetylcholine.
Neuroplasticity refers to the unique ability of the brain to adapt to change both in terms of structure or function and this occurs as lifetime process in response to experiences (Voss et al., 2017). The research findings reveal that neuroplasticity varies among individuals. Three of the main factors that affect variability of neuroplasticity are age, sex and sensory experiences (Voss et al., 2017).
References
Sonne, J., & Beato, M. R. (2018, December 28). Neuroanatomy, Substantia Nigra. Retrieved from Nih.gov website: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK536995/
Voss, P., Thomas, M. E., Cisneros-Franco, J. M., & de Villers-Sidani, É. (2017). Dynamic Brains and the Changing Rules of Neuroplasticity: Implications for Learning and Recovery. Frontiers in Psychology, 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01657
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