neuronens

Neurons are the fundamental units of the nervous system. They specialize in receiving, processing, and transmitting information through electrical impulses and chemical signals. Neurons interact through expansive networks that underlie sensation, movement, cognition, and behavior. The study of neurons encompasses anatomy, physiology, development, and disease.

Most neurons share a basic structure: a cell body (soma), dendrites that receive inputs, and an axon that transmits signals to other cells. Some axons are myelinated, increasing conduction speed. Neurons vary in size, shape, and function, and are broadly categorized as sensory, motor, or interneurons, with further distinctions such as excitatory or inhibitory.

Neuronal communication relies on action potentials—brief electrical spikes that travel along the axon—and synaptic transmission, where chemicals called neurotransmitters cross synapses to affect target cells. Synaptic strength can be modulated by activity, a phenomenon known as synaptic plasticity, essential for learning and memory.

Neurons originate from neural stem cells during development and maintain limited plasticity in adulthood. Damage to neurons can lead to neurological disorders, and many diseases involve degeneration, demyelination, or disrupted connectivity. Techniques such as electrophysiology, imaging, and molecular genetics are used to study neuronal function and to develop therapies.