L1.1.4: Physiology of the Nervous System

• ● Functional properties of neurons:

  ○ Irritability — ability to respond to stimulus and convert it to a nerve impulse

  ○ Conductivity — ability to transmit the impulse to other neurons, muscles, or glands
• ● Terms:

  ○ Nerve impulse — other term for action potential

  ○ Polarized — when the inside of the plasma membrane has a negative charge compared to the outside

  ○ Depolarization — when the cell’s normally negative internal charge changes to a positive one (less negative)

  ○ Repolarization — neuron regains its negative resting membrane potential