What are the branch-like extensions of a neuron that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the neuron cell body?

Dendrites are the branch-like extensions of a neuron that play a crucial role in receiving messages and conducting impulses toward the neuron cell body. They are designed to increase the surface area available for synaptic connections, allowing the neuron to receive signals from other neurons or sensory receptors. The structure of dendrites, with their numerous branches, facilitates communication within the nervous system, enabling the processing and integration of information.

In contrast, myelin is a fatty substance that surrounds and insulates axons, aiding in the speed of impulse conduction but not involved in receiving messages. Axons are long, thin extensions that transmit impulses away from the neuron cell body to other neurons or muscles. Synapses refer to the junctions where communication between neurons occurs, but they are not structures that receive messages directly. Hence, the role of dendrites is specifically tuned to the initial stages of signal reception in neuronal communication.