Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
neuron
Table of Contents
Introduction References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics
Images & Videos
neuron neuron from visual cortex of a rat motor neuron A simple feedforward neural networkIn a simple feedforward neural network, all signals flow in one direction, from input to output. Input neurons receive signals from the environment and in turn send signals to neurons in the “hidden” layer. Whether any particular neuron sends a signal, or “fires,” depends on the combined strength of signals received from the preceding layer. Output neurons communicate the final result by their firing pattern.
Hear a neuroscientist Christof Koch speaks about how a neuron identifies selective encoding and coding to specific memories
Learn about optogenetics and its possible use in treating brain disorders
Read Next
pulmonary veins and arteries, circulation, cardiovascular system, human anatomy, (Netter replacement project - SSC)
13 Questions About How the Human Body Works Answered
Discover
Illustration for Demystified "How Dangerous is Quicksand"
How Deadly Is Quicksand?
Entrants falling and tumbling over while chasing the cheese at the 2016 'Cheese Rolling' held at Cooper's Hill, in the Cotswolds, Brockworth England
7 of the World’s Most Dangerous Festivals
Close up of books. Stack of books, pile of books, literature, reading. Homepage 2010, arts and entertainment, history and society
12 Novels Considered the “Greatest Book Ever Written”
Small, white rat (genus Rattus) on a glass table. (rodent, laboratory, experiment)
Cruel and Unusual Punishments: 15 Types of Torture
Marriage. A couple getting married during a church wedding ceremony. (religion, ceremony, bride, groom)
The Seven Sacraments of the Roman Catholic church
illustration of the walking titanosaurus, Patagotitan mayorum
Titanosaurs: 8 of the World's Biggest Dinosaurs
Hemp (Cannabis sativa).
9 Mind-Altering Plants

neuron: Facts & Related Content

verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Share
Share to social media
URL
https://www.britannica.com/facts/neuron
Written and fact-checked by
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

The Information Architects maintain a master list of the topics included in the corpus of  Encyclopædia Britannica, and create and manage the relationships between them.
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

News •

Scientists reveal advance in brain research once thought impossible • Apr. 16, 2025, 4:54 AM ET (CNN)
Brain cells given an ‘invisibility cloak’ fix Parkinson’s symptoms in rats • Apr. 10, 2025, 3:30 AM ET (Nature)
Skin cells emit slow electrical pulses after injury • Apr. 2, 2025, 1:40 AM ET (Science News)

Facts

Also Known As neurone • nerve cell

Photos and Videos

neuron
neuron from visual cortex of a rat
motor neuron
A simple feedforward neural networkIn a simple feedforward neural network, all signals flow in one direction, from input to output. Input neurons receive signals from the environment and in turn send signals to neurons in the “hidden” layer. Whether any particular neuron sends a signal, or “fires,” depends on the combined strength of signals received from the preceding layer. Output neurons communicate the final result by their firing pattern.
Hear a neuroscientist Christof Koch speaks about how a neuron identifies selective encoding and coding to specific memories
Learn about optogenetics and its possible use in treating brain disorders
See All Videos and Images →

Related Topics and References

Topics
Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic

Key People

Paul Alfred Weiss
American biologist
Rudolf Jaenisch
German biologist
Fred H. Gage
American geneticist
Thomas C. Südhof
German-American neuroscientist
Sir Charles Sherrington.
Sir Charles Scott Sherrington
British physiologist
Camillo Golgi
Camillo Golgi
Italian physician and cytologist
Santiago Ramón y Cajal.
Santiago Ramón y Cajal
Spanish histologist
John J. Hopfield
John J. Hopfield
American physicist
Wilhelm His, c. 1900
Wilhelm His
Swiss anatomist

Related Quizzes and Features

List
pulmonary veins and arteries, circulation, cardiovascular system, human anatomy, (Netter replacement project - SSC)
13 Questions About How the Human Body Works Answered