Neurons: the Basic Elements of Behavior Essay Example

in the control of behavior (Boahen, 2005). The glue that keeps the neuron in place is called the glial cells. These cells provide nourishment Elements 3 to neurons, insulate them, help repair damage, and generally support the neuron's function. The structure of the neuron include three unique parts: dendrites, axons, and their terminal buttons. The dendrites are the cluster of fibers that branch out at one end of the neuron in order to receive messages form other neurons.

The axons are situated on the opposite end of the cell body with its long, slim tube like extensions that send messages to other neurons. The neuron also consists of terminal buttons that store and release neurotransmitters. These buttons are small bulges at the end of the axon and their Job is to channel the impulses that the dendrites detect from other neurons. sheath that prevents short circuiting with other neurons, allowing the electrical impulses to flow freely through them. This myelin sheath consists of fat and protein that encloses the axon to provide the necessary insulation to keep messages flowing uccessfully without interruption.

According to the text, " those axons that carry the most important and urgently required information have the greatest concentrations of myelin" (Feldman, 2009, p. 62). This enables the impulses to travel at different speeds; they are able to travel from 2 to 225 miles per hour. The All or none law simply stated says that as the electrical impulse travels along the axon, the neuron will fire if it has enough force to produce an electrical charge. A neuron is considered to be in a passive state when it is waiting for

an impulse to harge or trigger it.

When in the passive or resting state, it means there are more negatively charged ions within the neuron then on the outside, very much like a small battery. The action potential happens when the electrical impulses shoots through the neuron and causes the neuron to fire. This Elements 4 action causes the charge in the neuron to change from the negative passive to the positive firing state (Feldman, 2009, p. 63). The velocity at which the neuron fires the message or impulse depends on the concentration level of the stimulus.

As xplained in the text, "when a nerve impulse comes to the end of the axon and reaches a terminal button, a chemical courier called a neurotransmitter is released (Feldman, 2009, p. 65). For successful communication to happen between the neurotransmitter and the neuron, they must fit together perfectly. When a miscommunication happens, the chemical message is either excitatory or inhibitory. The difference between the two deliveries are that the excitatory increases the chances of the neuron to fire and the inhibitory decreases the action potential.

Reuptake allows the misfires to get cleaned up and avoids the clogging up of the impulse highway of the neurons. Moreover, the neurotransmitters are an extremely important connection to properly maintain and control the brain and body functions. The human body contains several kinds of neurotransmitters and the concentrations of the chemicals are an important part so that body functions and behaviors can be understood. Being able to know the role that these chemicals play in association with the neurons and the resulting behaviors, one can begin to understand why the unction

of neurons is so important.

In conclusion, improving ones knowledge of the basic elements of behavior can help individuals to be better prepared to understand how neurons play a significant role in their life. They play a crucial role in ones thoughts, movements, memory, actions, emotional behavior, and learning ability. The more that is learned, the more effective people become in dealing with the neuron's movements of sophisticated sequence of events in their body.

Reference

1. Feldman, R. S. (2009). Understanding Psychology, (9th ed. ). New York: McGraw-Hill.