Which is the basic building block of the nervous system?

• A. Dendrite
• B. Neuron
• C. Axon
• D. Myelin Sheath

Answer: (B)

Neurons are the basic building blocks of the nervous system. They’re specialized cells that receive, process, and transmit information through electrical and chemical signals. A neuron has dendrites to pick up signals, a cell body to process them, and an axon to send the signal to other neurons or muscles. The myelin sheath speeds up transmission along the axon, but it isn’t a separate unit of the nervous system—the neuron itself is the fundamental unit. Dendrites and axons are parts of a neuron, not standalone building blocks. Neurons connect at synapses to form the networks that underlie all thoughts, sensations, and actions.