Biopsychology: Synaptic Transmission

Question 1

What is the name given to an electrical impulse?

Answer 1

action potential

Question 2

What is the gap between one neuron and another known as?

Answer 2

the synaptic cleft

Question 3

What must happen for an electrical impulse to reach the next neuron?

Answer 3

it must travel across the synaptic cleft as a chemical signal using neurotransmitters

Question 4

What happens at the beginning of synaptic transmission?

2 points

Answer 4

1)action potential travels down the axon of the presynaptic neuron
2)action potential triggers the release of neurotransmitters from vesicles into the synapse

Question 5

What happens in the middle of synaptic transmission?

2 points

Answer 5

3)NTs diffuse across the synaptic cleft
4)NTs bind to receptor sites on the postsynaptic membrane

Question 6

What happens at the end of synaptic transmission?

1 point

Answer 6

5)stimulation of the postsynaptic receptors by NTs results in excitation or inhibition of the postsynaptic membrane

Question 7

Does excitation increase or decrease neural activity , and why does it have this effect?

Describe the same for inhibition

Answer 7

increases neural activity as likelihood of action potential regenerating in postsynaptic neuron is increased

decreases neural activity as likelihood of action potential decreases

Question 8

Can a neuron receive excitatory and inhibitory NTs at one time?

Answer 8

Yes

Question 9

How do we determine the likelihood of an action potential being generated by the postsynaptic neuron?

What is this process known as?

Answer 9

by adding up the excitatory and inhibitory inputs

summation