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A synapse is the junction between two nerve cells, where impulses pass by diffusion of a neurotransmitter.

Hyperpolarization is an increase in the membrane potential of a cell, relative to the normal resting potential.

Microglia are a type of glial cell that act as the first and main form of active immune defense in the central nervous system.

The absolute refractory period is the time during which a second action potential cannot be initiated, no matter how large a stimulus is applied, typically due to Na+ channel inactivation.

Schwann cells are a type of glial cell found in the peripheral nervous system that wrap around nerve fibers to form the myelin sheath, which helps increase the speed of neural transmission.

The relative refractory period is the time following the absolute refractory period when a neuron can fire an action potential, but only if the stimulus strength is greater than usual.

The peripheral nervous system (PNS) includes all of the nerves that lie outside the central nervous system and connect it to muscles, glands, and sensory receptors.

An action potential is a rapid rise and subsequent fall in voltage or membrane potential across a cellular membrane with a characteristic pattern.

The resting membrane potential is the voltage difference between the inside and the outside of a neuronal membrane when the neuron is not actively sending a signal.

Astrocytes are star-shaped glial cells in the brain and spinal cord that have numerous functions, including providing support for neurons and regulating the transmission of electrical impulses.

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is a division of the peripheral nervous system that controls involuntary body functions like heartbeat, digestion, and breathing.

A dendrite is a branched extension of a neuron that receives impulses from other neurons and conducts them towards the cell body.

The blood-brain barrier is a protective shielding of the brain's blood vessels, barring many substances from entering brain tissue, thus maintaining a stable environment for the brain.

The soma or cell body is the bulbous, non-process portion of a neuron, containing the cell nucleus and much of the cytoplasm, where the metabolic work of the cell is done.

Acetylcholine (ACh) is a neurotransmitter in the central and peripheral nervous systems that plays a key role in muscle contraction and is involved in learning and memory.

A neuron is a specialized cell transmitting nerve impulses; a nerve cell.

A ligand-gated ion channel is a group of transmembrane ion channels that open in response to the binding of a chemical messenger (ligand), such as a neurotransmitter.

Repolarization is the process by which the cell membrane potential is restored to the resting membrane potential following depolarization.

A G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) is a large family of cell surface receptors that activate internal cellular processes through the binding of a ligand and the activation of a G-protein.

Long-term potentiation (LTP) is a long-lasting enhancement in signal transmission between two neurons that results from stimulating them synchronously.

Glial cells are non-neuronal cells in the central and peripheral nervous system that support and protect neurons.

An excitatory neurotransmitter is a chemical messenger that increases the likelihood that the neuron will fire an action potential.

An axon is a long, slender projection of a neuron that typically conducts electrical impulses away from the neuron's cell body.

The sodium-potassium pump is a cell membrane protein that pumps three sodium ions out and two potassium ions into the cell, helping maintain the resting membrane potential.

A voltage-gated ion channel is a type of ion channel that opens or closes in response to changes in the electrical membrane potential near the channel.

Myelination is the process by which a fatty layer, called myelin, accumulates around nerve cells (neurons), enabling faster and more efficient transmission of electrical signals.

An inhibitory neurotransmitter is a chemical messenger that decreases the likelihood of the neuron firing an action potential.

Depolarization is a decrease in the difference between the electric charge on the inside and the outside of the cell membrane, often leading to the generation of an action potential.

The all-or-none principle states that once a stimulus reaches the threshold, the neuron will fire an action potential at full strength, or not at all if the threshold is not reached.

Synaptic plasticity is the ability of synapses to strengthen or weaken over time, in response to increases or decreases in their activity.

Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that transmit signals across a synapse from one neuron to another 'target' neuron.

A reflex arc is a neurological pathway that controls an action reflex. It involves a sensory input, a processing center, and a motor output without conscious thought.

Oligodendrocytes are glial cells in the central nervous system that produce the myelin sheath around nerve fibers to facilitate electrical insulation and increase signal transmission speed.

The central nervous system (CNS) is the part of the nervous system consisting of the brain and spinal cord, primarily responsible for processing information and directing responses.