What is a neuron?

A neuron is a cell which transmits information to other cells in the body. These pathways made by neurons control all aspects of life. A single neuron consists of a cell body, an axon and dendrites. The cell body contains a nucleus and is connected to the axon, which is the longest part of a neuron. An axon sends the information to other neurons. Dendrites on the other hand are much shorter and bring information from other cells to the neuron. There are three types of neurons.

  1. Sensory neurons - which transmit information from the external world to the brain (via spinal cord)
  2. motor neurons - which transmit the information from the spinal cord to the muscles (and therefore are essential for creating movement)
  3. interneurons - which connect sensory and motor neurons and therefore enable them to communicate with each other.
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Answered by Marie P. Psychology tutor

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