Nifty Neuron: The Fastest Messenger in the Body
Inside your brain, spinal cord, and nerves lives Nia the Neuron, one of billions of tiny cells constantly carrying messages throughout your body.
When you touch something hot, neurons rapidly send warning signals from your skin to your brain so your hand pulls away almost instantly. When you decide to run, wave, laugh, or speak, neurons deliver instructions from the brain to your muscles so the body can move together smoothly.
Nia has long branches called dendrites and axons that allow neurons to connect with one another like a giant communication network. Electrical signals race through the neuron, while tiny chemical messengers called neurotransmitters help pass information across microscopic gaps called synapses.
Different neurons have different jobs. Some help you see, hear, taste, and feel. Others control movement, balance, memory, emotions, and learning. Certain neurons even work automatically, helping your heart beat and your lungs breathe without you having to think about it.
Even while you sleep, neurons stay active — organizing memories, processing information, and keeping the body functioning through the night.
Together, billions of neurons work nonstop to help your body think, react, remember, and move every single second.
