Question

What transmits messages in the form of impulses?

Answer 1

The nervous system is responsible for coordinating actions, sensory movements, and for transmitting and receiving information within the body in form of electrical impulse.

Step by step answer: Nervous system is defined by the presence of its special type of cell called neurons. Neurons are also called nerve cells. They can be referred to as the functional unit of the nervous system. It is responsible for the transmission of messages in the form of electrical signals or impulses within the body. The transfer of the electrical impulse takes place from one neuron to another neuron at a junction called synapses. Synapses occur between the axon of one neuron and the dendrite of another neuron. Various stimuli like touch, pain, heat, smell, cold, sound, light, vibrations etc are detected and received by these specialized types of cells called neurons. Each neuron consists of a cell body (soma), dendrites, and a single axon. The cell body is usually compact in shape. Dendrites are branch-like structures where the input of the impulse is sensed. Axon is a cable-like projection extruding away from the soma which primarily carries the nerve impulse. Axon hillock is the part of the axon emerging from the soma. At the end of the axon away from the soma axon terminals are found which contains synapses. So, neurons are the specialized cell of the nervous system responsible for the transmission of the impulse.

Note: The neurons are of two types. They are sensory neurons and motor neurons. Sensory neurons conduct input impulse from body parts to the CNS and motor neurons carry the impulse away from CNS to the body parts.