Excerpted form Dr. Kidd's Guide to Herbal Dog Care, by Randy Kidd, D.V.M., Ph.D. Copyright (c) 2000 by Randy Kidd, D.V.M., Ph.D.. Reprinted by permission of Storey Books.
What is a Neuron. A neuron is a very specialized cell that forms the basis of the nervous system. It is also referred to as a nerve cells. Neurons are unique in that they transmit signals throughout the body. These signals are referred to as action potentials, nerve impulses or spikes.
The neuron (nerve cell) is the fundamental unit of the nervous system. The basic purpose of a neuron is to receive incoming information and, based upon that information, send a signal to other neurons, muscles, or glands. Neurons are designed to rapidly send signals across physiologically long distances. They do this using electrical signals called nerve impulses or action potentials .