✅Neural Integration/Infromation Processing Flashcards
(43 cards)
What is the simplest form of information processing?
A change in transmembrane potential that determines whether or not action potentials are generated.
What is transmembrane potential?
Charge (voltage) difference between the inside and outside of a cell due to separation in voltage
How are excitatory and inhibitory stimuli integrated?
Interaction between postsynaptic potentials
What are postsynaptic potentials?
Graded potentials that develop in the postsynaptic membrane in response to a neurotransmitter
What are the two types of postsynaptic potentials?
- excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSP)
- Inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSP)
What is Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials?
Graded depolarisation of the postsynaptic membrane
what is the Inhibitory postsynaptic potential?
Graded hyperpolarization of the postsynaptic membrane
What happens in the axon hillock?
The decision whether or not to propagate the action potential along the axon of the post-synaptic neuron
How is the decision whether or not to propagate the action potential along the axon of the post-synaptic neuron achieved?
Through summation of the incoming impulses. If the total impulse reaches threshold, the post-synaptic neuron depolarises and the action potential is propagated
What happens if the sum does not reach the threshold in decision making in the CNS?
The AP is not propagated
What are the two methods of summation?
Temporal and spatial
What is spatial summation?
Integration of simultaneous synaptic currents by a neuron
What is temporal summation?
Summation of synaptic potentials over time
What are the characteristics of temporal summation?
Multiple times
Rapid repeated stimuli at one synapse
On what membrane does temporal summation occur?
A membrane that receives two depolarising stimuli from the same source in rapid succession. The effects of the second stimulus are added to those of the first
What are the characteristics of spatial summation?
Multiple locations
Many stimuli, arrive at multiple synapses
When does spatial summation occur?
When sources of stimulation arrive simultaneously, but at different locations. Local currents spread the depolarising effects, and areas of overlap experience the combined effects
What are neurons constantly under the influence of?
Background synaptic activity
Why can background activity influence neuronal excitability?
Because background activity changes
What does increased excitatory drive results in?
Greater excitability (facilitation)
What does Increased inhibitory drive results in?
Decreased excitability (inhibition)
What are the five stages of the organisation of neuronal pools?
- Divergence
- Convergence
- Serial Procession
- Parallel processing
- Reverberation
What is divergence?
A mechanism for spreading stimulation to multiple neurons or neuronal pools in the CNS
What is convergence?
A mechanism for providing input to a single neuron from multiple sources
