Spanish physiologist who came up with the neuron doctrine and identified the neurons as individual units. Discovered synapses, neural circuits and receptors

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

States that individual cells transmit signals throughout the nerve system and that function was not continuous (opposing the beliefs held by nerve net theory)

Neuron doctrine 

A small gap between the end of a neuron's axon and the dendrites (or cell body) of another neuron.

Synapse

There exist specialized neurons that pick up information from the environment such as neurons in the eyes, ears and skin. They have a specialized receptor in place of the cell body and dendrites. 

Receptors

Neurons are connected to a specific set of other neurons (not all neurons are connected with one another). When sets of connections are paired together, they form neural circuits.

Neural circuits

Goldstein, E. B. (2014). Cognitive psychology: Connecting mind, research and everyday experience. Nelson Education.


Cognitive psychology: Connecting mind, research and everyday experience

When a signal reaches the synapse at end of an axon it releases a chemical. The neurotransmitter makes it possible for signals to travel across the gap (synapse). 

Neurotransmitter

A signal travels down the long projection of a nerve cell and reaches the end. To communicate with the next nerve cell, the signal must cross a small gap. What is the most significant functional implication of this gap?

There are specific neural circuits in the brain for certain categories. These neural circuits are innately determined based on how they helped survival.

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