Neurons and synaptic transmission

• First step to synaptic transmission


  The action potential travels down the axon of the pre synaptic neuron
• Second step to synaptic transmission


  The action potential stimulates the synaptic vesicle to move to the end of the pre synaptic neuron
• Third step to synaptic transmission


  The synaptic vesicles release the neurotransmitters into the synaptic gap
• Fourth step to synaptic transmission 


  neurotransmitters diffuse across the gap, carrying a chemical message across it
• Fifth step to synaptic transmission


  The neurotransmitters bind to the receptor sites on the post synaptic cell which then becomes activated
• Sixth step to synaptic transmission


  Once the receptors on the post synaptic neuron have been activated, they either produce excitatory or inhibitory effects on the post synaptic cell
• What is excitation

  Excitation occurs when receptor stimulation results in an increase in the charge of the postsynaptic neuron which increases the likelihood of the neuron firing
• What is Inhibition

  Occurs when receptor stimulation results in an increase in the negative charge of the post synaptic neuron and decreases the likelihood of the neuron firing
• What is summation

  The addition of positive and negative post synaptic potentials. A nerve cell can receive both positive and negative potentials simultaneously. These potentials are summed and if the total effect on the post synaptic neuron is inhibitory, the neuron will be less likely to fire and if the total effect is excitatory, the neuron will be more likely to fire