What are dendrites responsible for in the nervous system?

Dendrites are specialized structures in neurons that play a crucial role in the functioning of the nervous system. Their primary responsibility is to conduct impulses toward the body of a neuron, effectively receiving signals from other neurons and transmitting them to the cell body for processing. This process allows the neuron to collect information from multiple sources and integrate these signals before deciding whether to send a new impulse along the axon to communicate with other neurons.

Dendrites are equipped with receptors that bind to neurotransmitters released by adjacent neurons, converting these chemical signals into electrical impulses. The ability of dendrites to receive and integrate signals is essential for neural communication and ensures that the nervous system can respond appropriately to various stimuli.