Which term is the branch of a neuron?

• A. Dementia
• B. Dental
• C. Dentist
• D. Dendrites

Answer: (D)

Understanding neuron structure, the part that branches out from the cell body to receive signals is the dendrite. Dendrites are tree-like extensions—many of them—designed to pick up messages from other neurons at synapses. Their branched shape greatly increases the surface area available for connections, so a neuron can listen to many neighbors and integrate a lot of information before the signal is sent inward toward the cell body and then along the axon to other cells. The other terms listed don’t describe parts of a neuron: they refer to dentistry or a cognitive condition, not neural anatomy.