Neurons

Neurons

Introduction

Brain is a common organ which is found in every animal for example birds, mammals, fish, reptiles and amphibians etc. But the functioning of the human brain is quite unique. It is quite certain to say that although the size of the brain is not very large, but its functioning is very effective and essential. It provides the power to imagine, speak and solve problems, resulting in terming it as the most essential organ. There are several tasks that are performed by the brain for example it controls blood pressure, breathing, heart rate and body temperature.

It also accepts bulk of information that it received through various senses and enables to act open that information and further process it. The brain also controls the walking sitting, standing and talking of the body. All these functions are therefore coordinated, regulated and controlled by an organ which is very small in size, but performs the most important functions. The brain, peripheral nerves and spinal cord develop a complex and unique control and integrated information-processing system which is commonly known as central nervous system. It does not only regulate conscious facets of life but also regulate the unconscious facets of life. The scientific study of the nervous system and the brain is known as neurobiology or neuroscience.

Discussion

Neurons are also referred to as the building blocks of the nervous system. Based on evidence and scientific studies it can be concluded that the organ “brain” is approximately made up of 100 billions of nerve cells which are called “neurons”. These cells have the unique ability of gathering and transmitting electrochemical signals to the brain. A practical example of explaining the formation of neurons would be referring to them as wires and gates in a computer. These cells share similar characteristics and have similar makeup and formation as other cells in the body but their unique ability of gathering and transmitting electrochemical signals to the brain, differs them from the other cells and rank them as the most essentials cells present in the body. They are also referred to as the basic information processing structures present in the central nervous system (Mastone, 2011). The main function of neurons is to receive information from other neurons mainly referred to as input and then processing the input and finally sending the information to other neurons, also termed as output.

These cells consist of three basic parts for example Cell body or soma, Axon and Dendrites or nerve endings. Cell body or soma is the main part that consists of all the necessary components and elements of the cell for example the nucleus that contains DNA, ribosomes and endoplasmic reticulum that help in building proteins and mitochondria that helps in making energy. It is important to understand that if the cell body dies, it also leads to the death of the neuron. Axon refers to the cable like long projection of the cell that carries the electrochemical message (action potential or nerve impulse) throughout the length of the ...