What are the Functions of Neurons?
Neurons are the structural and functional unit of our nervous system. They are the essential part of the communication system in our brain.
Neurons perform all the tasks (sending, receiving and processing) to maintain the communicative action in the nervous system. In fact, our nervous system is surrounded by more than 100 million neurons, and each neuron can receive information from thousands of different cells.
Learn more about Neurons
Neurons can simultaneously receive and integrate stimuli (impulses) either from the body or other sources. They can interpret stimuli into a change in membrane potential. Using the conduction process, neurons can rapidly transmit this change in membrane potential over long distances.
They can convert the action potentials (the electrical messages) into particular neurotransmitters (the chemical messages), following the neurotransmission (or synaptic transmission) process, they also can deliver the chemical messages to target cells.
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Using the conduction process, these neurons can simultaneously transmit the impulses to the central nervous system (CNS) for processing.
The interneurons or the internuntial (association) neurons are termed as the communication neurons. They work to establish connections not only between sensory and motor neurons but also between themselves.
In addition, one of the major functions of these neurons is to transmit the processed impulses from the CNS to the motor neurons.
The motor (efferent) neurons transmit the nerve impulses to the effector organs (e.g. muscle tissues or glands).
They control (both directly and indirectly) the movement of muscles in the body, including the movement of heart, kidney, liver, diaphragm, sexual organs and glands
If you have read my previous post on the structure of Neurons, you might already know that most neurons have three distinct parts: (1) a cell body, (2) an axon, and (3) multiple dendrites.
Each part of a neuron performs specific roles to keep the communicative action of the nervous system active.
The dendrites receive incoming impulses or electrical signals from other neurons. They also carry these signals to the processing area (the cell body) of the neuron.
The cell body can simultaneously receive and integrate these signals. By interpreting these signals, the cell body generates action potential (i.e. a change in membrane potential) near the axon hillock.
This action potential is then propagated along the axon as outgoing signal. When the action potential reaches axon terminals, the neurotransmission (a process by which signals send from one neuron to other neurons) begins.
You might also like:
What are Neurons?
What is the Structure of Neurons?
How does the Nervous System Work?
Last Updated: Dec 31, 2022
Neurons perform all the tasks (sending, receiving and processing) to maintain the communicative action in the nervous system. In fact, our nervous system is surrounded by more than 100 million neurons, and each neuron can receive information from thousands of different cells.
Learn more about Neurons
Basic Functions of Neurons
The basic function of a neuron is to process and transmit nerve impulses from and to the nervous system.Neurons can simultaneously receive and integrate stimuli (impulses) either from the body or other sources. They can interpret stimuli into a change in membrane potential. Using the conduction process, neurons can rapidly transmit this change in membrane potential over long distances.
They can convert the action potentials (the electrical messages) into particular neurotransmitters (the chemical messages), following the neurotransmission (or synaptic transmission) process, they also can deliver the chemical messages to target cells.
Image via Wikipedia
Functions of Different Types of Neurons
The sensory (afferent) neurons work as the receptionists for incoming stimuli towards the nervous system. They receive and integrate stimuli not only from the body but also from the environment.Using the conduction process, these neurons can simultaneously transmit the impulses to the central nervous system (CNS) for processing.
The interneurons or the internuntial (association) neurons are termed as the communication neurons. They work to establish connections not only between sensory and motor neurons but also between themselves.
In addition, one of the major functions of these neurons is to transmit the processed impulses from the CNS to the motor neurons.
The motor (efferent) neurons transmit the nerve impulses to the effector organs (e.g. muscle tissues or glands).
They control (both directly and indirectly) the movement of muscles in the body, including the movement of heart, kidney, liver, diaphragm, sexual organs and glands
Functions of Different Parts in a Neuron
If you have read my previous post on the structure of Neurons, you might already know that most neurons have three distinct parts: (1) a cell body, (2) an axon, and (3) multiple dendrites.Each part of a neuron performs specific roles to keep the communicative action of the nervous system active.
The dendrites receive incoming impulses or electrical signals from other neurons. They also carry these signals to the processing area (the cell body) of the neuron.
The cell body can simultaneously receive and integrate these signals. By interpreting these signals, the cell body generates action potential (i.e. a change in membrane potential) near the axon hillock.
This action potential is then propagated along the axon as outgoing signal. When the action potential reaches axon terminals, the neurotransmission (a process by which signals send from one neuron to other neurons) begins.
You might also like:
What are Neurons?
What is the Structure of Neurons?
How does the Nervous System Work?
Last Updated: Dec 31, 2022
