The Nerve Pathway

The reflex arc is a sample nerve pathway in the brain. It does not get processed in the brain, but in the spinal cord to save time. Some parts of the reflex arc are listed below.

Dendrites: these tree-like branches on the neuron receive the signal from the previous neuron, or from receptors

Axon: this long tube acts as a wire to carry the electrical signal

Neurotransmitter: these chemical messengers carry the electrical signal across a synapse to the next neuron

Synapse: the gap between neurons

Sensory Neuron: these neurons carry the impulse from a stimulus inward towards the brain or spinal cord

Motor Neuron: these neurons carry the impulse outward from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles or effectors

Processing: this is where information is processed by either to brain or spinal cord to respond to the stimulus

Stimulus: this is a change in the environment that gets picked up by receptors

Effector: these are things like muscles that can actually respond to the stimulus

Steps in the nerve impulse include:

1. A stimulus is received by a receptor (one of the senses)
2. That stimulus is carried inward to the brain or spinal cord by sensory neurons.
3. The information is carried to the brain or spinal cord to be processed and to determine the correct response
4. The response information is carried by motor neurons from the brain or spinal cord outwards to the muscles
5. The muscles (effectors) receive the signal and respond accordingly

Reaction time is the time it takes your brain to perceive and respond to a stimulus. You can measure your own reaction time very accurately here