THE NEURON

Neuron

The neuron is the basic, structural and functional unit of the nervous system that make up the brain's neural network (Boyden, 2011). Cutting edge knowledge of the brain is founded on the knowledge of the neuron and it's molecular biology.

The body of the neuron, which constitutes one of its three segments, is basically star-shaped, owing to the spikes known as dendrites into which its outer membrane is modified. This segment generates action potential or impulse from stimuli or information received by the neuron.

The axon is the elongated middle part of the neuron along which signals or information travel to the tail end. Some axons are myelinated ( fat-coated) in segments to help speed up the transmission of information.

The tail segment houses the information-transmitting substance (neurotransmitter) in the space known as synaptic gap between the neuron carrying information (pre synaptic neuron) and the one receiving information (post synaptic neuron). The post synaptic neuron is stimulated by the neurotransmitter for onward transmission of signals or information.

The neuron, therefore, is a biological micro data processing machine with an input (dendrites), processing (body) and output (axon/tail) units coordinating the totality of the bodily function.

Festus C. Anaba, B Med. Sci. Physiology