How Does the Brain Work

Brain Functions
Terminal buttons are on neurons and form the small balls at the end of the axon where chemicals are released. These chemicals are neurotransmitters. Thus, the terminal button acts as the presynaptic neuron of the synapse.
The myelin sheath is a layer of insulation that covers nerves in the brain. It consists of protein and fats, which allow electrical pulses to pass through and on to the nerve cells. The myelin sheath thus protects the nerves in a way that allows messages to get through.
The axon are nerve fibers that look like long, hairs on a nerve cell. They are like the antenna of the neuron, and conduct electrical pulses away from the soma. Axons act as the transmission lines of the nervous system.
The axon hillock is part of the soma that connects to the axon. It is the last point in the soma where membrane potentials are formed before transmission to the axon. The axon hillock serves as a storage/production bay for messaging and gets the message ready for transmission.
Dendrites act as receivers on the cell. They are like branches on a tree that extend out from the main body of the neuron to receive messages from the body. The dendrites receive the stimuli and send them on into the soma where the signals are gathered and accumulated.
The synaptic cleft is the space that exists between neurons wherever there is a nerve synapse. This is where the nerve impulse is transmitted via a neurotransmitter. It is also known as a synaptic gap—i.e., the distance between neurons which makes messaging possible.
The postsynaptic nerve is a receptor where neurotransmitters are received and bound. These receive the transmissions sent from other nerves.
The presynaptic nerve is converted into the release of a chemical, which is the neurotransmitter. The presynaptic nerve helps to get the impulse from one nerve to the next by developing into the neurotransmitter.
Stimulator receptors help to stimulate the cell for receiving the message from the neuron. They are responsible for alerting the cell to incoming messages.
Inhibitory receptors do the opposite: they block incoming messages and prevent unwanted impulses from progressing.
Receptors in the brain help to fulfill the transmission of an impulse. The impulse is generated in one cell and passed on to the next via the neurochemical. The receptor enables the neurochemical to be received and its message transmitted.
Reuptake impacts serotonin levels. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter (the neurochemical mentioned previously) that is produced by nerves in the brain and allows nerves to communicate with one another.
The agonist is a drug that causes receptors in the brain to become activated. Agonist drugs like heroin produce opioid receptors in the brain to develop the full opioid effect. Agonists interact with dopamine receptors in the brain to produce certain qualities or feelings of euphoria in the body.
The antagonist receptor is a drug that blocks or diminishes the body’s response to a message by blocking or adhering to the receptor that should receive the message instead of activating the receptor like the agonist does. These are often described as blockers since they prevent the agonist from doing its job.