Lecture 6

Question 1

What is a synapse and what does it do?

Answer 1

• Where the memories are formed
• where learning occurs
• where the neurons link to one another
• synapse is usually found at the end of the axon (axon terminal)
• a synapse = a gap found between the axon terminal and another neuron
• every axon branches so each 1 has many axon terminals
• this is how neural networks

Question 2

What is meant by the Micrograph of a cell body with numerous synapses?

Answer 2

For any 1 neuron 1000s of other neurons can synapse it

Question 3

What are the properties of a Synapse?

Answer 3

• Electrical impulse (Ap) travels to an axon end
• there is a gap between it and the next neuron
• the impulse can’t travel across this
• the gap can be bridged by neurotransmitters
• chemicals released as AP reaches axon end
• they travel across the gap
• therefore causing a ‘change’ in the post synaptic neuron

Question 4

Explain Synthesis, packaging and transport of neurotransmitter molecules

Answer 4

• Small molecule neurotransmitters - in the terminal button by the Golgi complex
• Large molecule neurotransmitters - in the cell body and transported down to the terminals

Question 5

What is a Computational Unit?

Answer 5

• The potential of the postsynaptic neuron only significantly changes is PSPs are added
• this is most effective if they arrive at about the same time and in the same part of the next neuron

Question 6

What are PSPs?

Answer 6

• Leads to a change in membrane potential of the postsynaptic neuron
• because voltage gated channels are opened
• the membrane potential changes slightly
• ‘communication’ between neurons has occurred
• post-synaptic potentials can be excitatory or inhibitory