Nerve damage is any damage caused to neurons. Neurons are the basic building blocks of the nervous system. Neurons are made up of three parts, namely,
A cell body contains a nucleus, smooth and rough endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, mitochondria and other cellular components.
Axon is a tube-like structure with branches at its end – these branches are called the axon terminals. The Axon tube carries the electrical signal from other neurons’ dendrites and passes it on to the axon terminal, where it’s converted to a chemical signal. These chemical signals are then passed on to other neurons’ dendrites, where it’s again reconverted to an electrical impulse. The axon terminal – dendrite junction is called the synapse, where the exchange of information takes place (electrical – chemical – electrical).
Dendrites are branch-like structures extending from the cell body. While Axon from other neurons delivers the chemical impulse, dendrites receive it, convert it to an electrical impulse, and pass it on to its own axon body. This electrochemical process and exchange of signals between the brain and body organs happen in a fraction of a second.
Any damage to any of the above parts could result in nerve damage (or neurological disorder).