A primer on neuron function . . .
KEY POINTS
Action potentials in the neuron
- Receptor-gated channels vs. Voltage-gated channels
Neurotransmitter release
- Norepinephrine - fight or flight
- Dopamine - pleasure
REFERENCES
The material for the neuroscience lectures was drawn from notes on Dr. Robert Sapolky's lectures in Biology 42 at Stanford University in Winter 2005. Dr. Sapolksy is a fantastic teacher and popularizer of complex scientific ideas, and he shaped my understanding of how the brain functions (particularly the idea of neurons as on-off switches). As far as I know, the material from these lectures has not been published, but I can recommend his book Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers, a popular exploration of the physiology of stress. Special thanks to my friend Joseph for his detailed notes.
nice ! thanks
zarolhovski 1 month ago
Very helpful to know the precise machinery of each neuron, But how does the neuron know wether to turn the next neuron on or off?
BPMa14n 3 months ago