ABSTRACT
This first chapter reviews the basic structures, molecular physiology, and electrophysiology of nerve cells found in the central nervous system (CNS) and in the peripheral nervous system, including motoneurons, sensory neurons, and interneurons. First considered is general neuroanatomy, and the ionic and electrical properties of passive and active nerve membrane. Decremental conduction of electrical transients on passive dendrites, spatial summation of dendritic potentials, spike generation and propagation on unmyelinated and myelinated axons are described in general terms.
