Synaptic transmission

• What is the biological structure discussed in this material?

  Synapse
• Why is the synapse important in biological psychology?

  It helps understand information transmission and drug effects
• What is synaptic transmission?

  • Process of communication between neurons
  • Involves electrical impulses and neurotransmitters
  • Critical for brain function and psychoactive drug effects
• What are the chemical messages called that transmit information across the synapse?

  Neurotransmitters
• What happens when an action potential reaches the axon terminal?

  Vesicles merge and release neurotransmitters
• What is the gap between neurons called?

  Synaptic cleft
• How wide is the synaptic cleft?

  20 to 40 nanometers
• What role do receptors on the postsynaptic neuron play?

  They detect neurotransmitters' presence
• What is the function of transport proteins in the presynaptic neuron?

  They take neurotransmitters back into the cell
• What are the steps of synaptic transmission?

  1. Action potential arrives at axon terminal
  2. Vesicles merge and release neurotransmitters
  3. Neurotransmitters diffuse across synaptic cleft
  4. Summation occurs in postsynaptic cell
  5. New action potential forms if threshold is reached
• What is summation in synaptic transmission?

  It combines excitatory and inhibitory signals
• What happens during depolarization?

  Positively charged sodium ions enter the cell
• What effect do excitatory neurotransmitters have?

  They make the electrical charge more positive
• What do inhibitory neurotransmitters do?

  They hyperpolarize the postsynaptic neuron
• What is the typical firing rate of a neuron?

  5 to 50 times a second
• What is the role of SSRIs in treating depression?

  They block serotonin reabsorption
• How does cocaine affect neurotransmitter transmission?

  It blocks dopamine reabsorption
• What is the significance of synapses in brain function?

  • Fundamental for consciousness and memory
  • Enable complex communication between neurons
  • Essential for processing information
• How many neurons are estimated to be in the human brain?

  About 100 billion neurons
• How many synaptic connections can a single neuron have?

  Up to 15,000 connections
• How many synapses does an average 20-year-old male have?

  About 170 trillion synapses
• How long would it take to count all synapses at 100 per second?

  Just under 5,500 years
• What analogy is used to describe the number of synapses?

  • Equivalent to 680 Milky Way galaxies
  • Illustrates the vast complexity of the brain
• What is the main takeaway about the brain's synaptic communication system?

  It is complex and powerful
• What should students do if they struggle with summation?

  Re-watch the explanation or research more
• What resources are available for further study on synapses?

  • Free sheets on the website
  • Additional psychology videos
  • Various study approaches suggested