Neuron

How it is used

Neurons are classified as sensory neurons, motor neurons or interneurons. Lectures describe how neurons fire, conduct impulses and communicate across synapses. British texts sometimes spell it neurone.

Example sentences

1. Motor neurons carry signals from the spinal cord to the muscles.

2. A single neuron can form thousands of connections with other cells.

Common collocations

• motor neuron
• sensory neuron
• upper motor neuron
• neuron fires

Related terms

• nerveA cord-like bundle of nerve fibers (axons) that carries electrical signals between the brain or spinal cord and other parts of the body.
• synapseThe junction where a nerve cell passes a signal to another nerve cell, a muscle cell or a gland cell, usually by releasing chemical messengers called neurotransmitters.
• action potentialA brief electrical signal that travels along the membrane of a nerve or muscle cell. Sodium ions rush into the cell (depolarization), and then potassium ions flow out (repolarization).
• neuro-A word part from Greek meaning 'nerve' or 'nervous system'. It appears in neurology, neurotransmitter, neuroanatomy and, in a shorter form, in neuron.
• cellThe smallest living unit of the body. Each cell has a membrane and cytoplasm, most also have a nucleus, and groups of similar cells form tissues.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

• neuron · Biology

More terms: Nervous and Endocrine Systems

• nervous system
• brain
• spinal cord
• hormone
• gland
• reflex
• cerebellum
• thyroid gland