Neurons+-+MB

=Introduction= toc Not only are there neurons in your brain, but they're throughout your body allowing you to many things, including sports. Neurons allow people to move, feel, and think, even in a softball game. In a softball game you have to remember the signs and plays. Also need to be able to move so you can hit, run, and throw, and the neurons in your body help you do that. The neuron's shape or structure help it work effectively, so you can play the game. But if something happens to these neurons it will not only affect the way you play and how your body works, and it is a disease called ALS that restricts you from doing many things.

=What is the Function of a Neuron?=

A neuron is a cell that is specialized in the nervous system, a **specialized cell** is a cell that are made to do one job and focus on that job. A neuron’s job is to control movement, thoughts, and feelings. There are three types of neurons, there are the Motor neuron that sends impulses to the muscles and glands that enable you to move. The interneurons carries impulses to the neuron and the sensory neuron turns the stimuli into an impulse, **stimuli** is a signal in the environment that makes the organism react (Padilla et al 178). There are also axons and dendrites. An axon sends impulses away from the cell. The dendrite carries impulses to the cell. **Impulses** are the electric signal neurons receive and send to other parts of the body, these neurons function when you react to something, like taking your hand out of hot water. There are more structures to a neuron that helps the way it functions.

=How does the Structure of a Neuron Affect how it Functions?=

A neuron looks a lot like a spider but with threadlike extensions hanging off of it. The neurons are large and have threadlike extensions, which are the **dendrites** and **axons**. The neurons dendrites are basically touching another neuron’s axon. The axon has a coating on top of it, that makes the impulses travel quicker allowing the body to move faster. The coating on top of the axon is called the **myelin sheath** (“ Nervous System”), and next to the axon is the soma which is the cell body, which the dendrites are attached to and nucleus inside. These structures work very well unless affected by a disease like ALS. media type="custom" key="28994045" width="300" height="253"

=How does ALS Affect People?=

Lou Gehrig was a baseball player who got ALS and ALS stand for **Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis**. That is greek for without muscle nourishment for the spinal cord with scarring and hardening. ALS damages the motor neurons that send impulses to glands and muscles. This allows the brain and spinal cord to shrink and eventually disappear, and because of this the muscles become very weak. Then the person will eventually become paralyzed. Since the muscles aren't in use, the muscles become very weak. When someone is paralyzed they can not feel pressure, pain, hot, and the cold. (“ Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis”) ALS can be caused in many ways, it can be in your genes, but only people from 40 to 70 years old get it, so it is very rare in children. It can also happen if there is a protein build up in the brain, that prevent the impulses from being sent. ALS damages the nervous system a lot so if you get this disease then you will be totally paralyzed and have respiratory failure. They will no longer receive messages from the brain. They are paralyzed because the neurons shrink and disappear, so the electric impulses can’t get to the muscles and glands making them weak. Not many people get ALS about 2 in 100,000, but if you do get this disease the survival rate is 3 to 5 years.(Kids Health)

media type="youtube" key="wxr_6DAWZ8U" width="575" height="309"

=Conclusion=

A neuron is much like a telephone wires because they both send electric signals but in a neuron it’s called an impulse. These impulses are sent to different neurons in your body enabling you to move, feel, and think. Neurons jobs are very important, because if they don’t do it right than there will be many dangers. But not to worry the neurons do there job very well and allow the impulses to travel quickly allowing us to move, think, and feel.

=References=

Works Cited “ALS Signs and Symptoms.” Youtube, ALSAOregon, 10 June 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxr_6DAWZ8U. Accessed 3 Feb. 2017. “Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.” Lifescript, 2013, www.lifescript.com/health/centers/alzheimers/related_conditions/amyotrophic_lateral_sclerosis_als. Accessed 31 Jan. 2017. Coolidge-Stolz, Elizabeth, et al. Human Biology and Health. Boston, Pearson, 2009. Glass, Susan. Cells. Logan, Perfection Learning, 2005. “Lou Gehrig’s Disease(ALS).” Kids Health, Jan. 2013, kidshealth.org/en/kids/als.html. Accessed 30 Jan. 2017. “Nervous System.” PowerKnowledge Life Science, Rosen Publishing, www.pklifescience.com/article/435/nervous-system. Accessed 30 Jan. 2017.v “The Nervous System.” BrainPOP, www.brainpop.com/health/bodysystems/nervoussystem/. Accessed 30 Jan. 2017. “Neurons.” BrainPOP, www.brainpop.com/health/bodysystems/neurons/transcript/. Accessed 30 Jan. 2017.