2. Synaptic Transmission Flashcards
What is a synapse?
junction between the axon terminus of a neuron and the dendrites, soma, or axons of a second neuron
What are electrical synapses?
occur when the cytoplasms of two cells are joined by gap junctions
What are chemical synapses?
found at the ends of axons where they meet their target cell
What is the neuromuscular junction?
chemical synapse between neurons and skeletal muscle
What neurotransmitter is involved in the neuromuscular junction?
acetylcholine
What does it mean for a neurotransmitter to be considered excitatory?
the neurotransmitter opens a channel that depolarizes the postsynaptic membrane
What does it mean for a neurotransmitter to be considered inhibitory?
the neurotransmitter induces hyperpolarization of the postsynaptic membrane
What is summation in relation to synaptic transmission?
additive effect of excitatory and inhibory stimuli that will help a postsynaptic neuron to make the decision to fire an action potential
What are EPSPs?
excitatory neurotransmitters that cause depolarization
What are IPSPs?
inhibitory neurotransmitters
What is temporal summation?
presynaptic neuron fires an action potential so rapidle that EPSPs or IPSPs pile up on top of each other
What is spatial summation?
EPSPs and IPSPs from all of the synapses on the postsynaptic membrane are summed at a given moment in time
