SYNAPTIC TRANSMISSION

• What is a synapse?

  the gap between neurons
• what is action potential?

  when the inside of a neuron becomes positively charged after being activated
• what is chemical transmission?

  signals between neurons are transmitted chemically across synapse.

  when action potential reaches the terminal button it triggers the release of neurotransmitters, they activate the dendrites of the next neuron
• what are neurotransmitters?

  chemicals that diffuse across the synapse to the next neuron
• what is an excitatory neuron?

  increases the chance that the neighbouring neuron will fire and pass on the message
• what is an inhibitory neuron?

  decreases the chance that the next neuron will fire
• examples of excitatory

  adrenaline

  dopamine is a bit of both
• examples of inhibitory

  serotonin

  dopamine is a bit of both
• what is summation?

  the sum of the excitatory and inhibitory signals, the largest is carried out
• what is the synaptic vesicle?

  contains neurotransmitters before they are released
• what are the postsynaptic receptors?

  detects the neurotransmitter and converts it back into an electrical impulse
• what are re-uptake channels?

  re-absorb and recycle any leftover neurotransmitter
• what is the process of synaptic transmission?

  action potential travels down axon

  action potential reachers pre synaptic terminal

  this triggers the release of neurotransmitters from vesicles

  neurotransmitters cross the synapse

  postsynaptic receptor of next neuron detects the neurotransmitters

  summation takes place

  fire more of excitatory or less if inhibitory

  re-uptake channels in presynaptic terminal take in and recycle any left over neurotransmitter