Synaptic Transmission

• What is synaptic transmission?

  The process of how neurons communicate with each other
• What different structures are involved in synaptic transmission?

  pre-synaptic neuron, vesicles, cell membrane, transporters, synaptic gap, receptors, post synaptic neuron.
• What do you call the sacs in the pre-synaptic neuron that hold the bio-chemical?

  Vesicles
• What is another name for the electrical impulse that passes through the neuron?

  The action potential
• What do you call the space between the pre and post synaptic neuron that neurotransmitters have to cross to carry the message to the post synaptic neuron?

  the synapse or synaptic gap or cleft.
• What do you call the structure on the post-synaptic neuron that the neurotransmitters bind to?

  Receptors
• What is the process of synaptic transmission?

  An electrical impulse fires through the axon of the post synaptic neuron to the synaptic terminal. The electrical impulse can't pass through the synaptic gap and so it triggers the release of the neurotransmitters from the vesicles. The neurotransmitters then crosses the synapse and binds with the receptors on the post synaptic neuron and triggers a signal which can excitatory or inhibitory.
• What does an inhibitory effect mean?


  post synaptic neuron becomes negatively charged and less likely to fire
• What does an excitatory effect mean?

  post synaptic neuron becomes positively charged more likely to fire
• What neurotransmitter causes an inhibitory effect?

  GABA
• What neurotransmitter causes an excitatory effect?

  serotonin
• How do you work out if the post synaptic neuron is more of less likely to fire?

  You have to work out the net effect
• How do you work out the net effect?


  More than one presynaptic neuron feeds into the post and so you have to work out if there are more inhibitory or excitatory pre synaptic neurons to work out if it is more or less likely to fire.
• So a post-synaptic neuron has 4 inhibitory and 3 excitatory pre-synaptic neurons attached to it. Is it more or less likely to fire?

  more likely
• A post-synaptic neuron has 5 inhibitory and 4 excitatory pre-synaptic neurons attached to it. Is it more or less likely to fire?

  less likely