Computer-generated image of a neuron. Neurons are the core components of the brain, the vertebrate spinal cord, the invertebrate ventral nerve cord, and the peripheral nerves.  Neurons are crucial for our ability to perceive, learn, remember, and interact with the world around us. Their purpose is to transmit information throughout the body and help us perceive, process, and respond to the world around us. When a neuron is activated by a stimulus, such as a touch or a sound, it generates an electrical signal that travels down its axon to the axon terminal. At the axon terminal, the electrical signal triggers the release of neurotransmitters, which are chemicals that transmit the signal across a gap, or synapse, to another neuron or a target cell, such as a muscle cell. This process of transmitting information through electrical and chemical signals allows us to perform a wide range of functions, from sensing and reacting to our environment to coordinating complex movements and thoughts.