What is the brain ?
Vast collection of interconnected cells called neurons.
1012 neurons with 1015 synapses (connections)
cortical neurons connect to roughly 3% of surrounding neurons
cortical neuron may receive connections from up to 10000 other neurons
"Supported" by an even greater number of cells called glia (not nerve cells!)
Many different types of neurons in terms of size, shape and molecular properties (12 general types in the neocortex). Each neuron has three distinct parts:
cell body (soma) - can be the site of input, mainly inhibitory
dendrites - input zone
axon - output pathway…
