Synaptic transmission

• Synaptic transmission


  1. Nerve impulse passes across the synaptic gap from a pre-synaptic neuron to a post-synaptic neuron

  2. Action potential reaches the synaptic vesicle of the pre-synaptic neuron

  3. Synaptic vesicles release a neurotransmitter through exocytosis

  4. Neurotransmitters diffuse across the gap between the pre- and post-synaptic neurons

  5. Neurotransmitters bind to specialised receptors on the surface of the post-synaptic neuron
• Excitation


  A neurotransmitter increasing the likelihood of a post-synaptic neuron 'firing'
• Inhibition


  A neurotransmitter decreasing the likelihood of a post-synaptic neuron 'firing'
• Summation


  The 'adding up' of the excitatory and inhibitory synaptic input
• Summation


  Determines whether or not the cell fires