Key Features

• Unidirectional: Impulse only travel one direction (e.g. acetylcholine present in presynaptic knob only → precision to NS)
• Filtering out unwanted signals: If low level stimuli create AP in presynaptic membrane, may not stimulate enough acetylcholine release (e.g. not enough generator potentials in postsynaptic membrane so no AP)
• Amplification: Low level signals from weak stimuli can be amplified, several successive APs produce many generator potential in postsynaptic neurone which add together and enable convergence which increases neurotransmitter sensitivity (summation)
• Memory is a function of interconnections between neurones in brain