chapter 1-3 Flashcards
neurophysiology
study of the specialized life processes that allow neurons to use chemical and electrical signals to process and transmit information
action potential
rapid depolarization of electrical signal change along the axon
ions
electrically charged molecules
anions
negatively charged molecules
cations
positively charged
microelectrode
small electrode to record electrical potentials inside living cells
resting potential
electrical difference across membrane
selective permeability
allowing somethings to pass through ion channel, but not others
diffusion
spread of molecules from high concentration to low through a solvent
-drop of dye spreads in water
electrostatic pressure
charged molecules or ions move toward areas with opposite charge
equilibrium potential
electrical charge that exactly balances concentration gradient
hyperpolarization
increase in membrane potential (more - on the inside)
depolarization
decrease in membrane potential
local potentials
electrical potential that is initiated by stimulation
threshold
the stimulus intensity that is just adequate to trigger an action potential in an axon
all-or-none property
an action potential either fires at its full amplitude, or not at all
after potentials
the positive or negative change in membrane potential that may follow an action potential
volted-gated Na+ channel
Na+ selective channel that opens/closes in response to changes in the voltage of the local membrane potential
refractory
temporarily unresponsive
absolute refractory phase
no amount of stimulation can induce another action potential because Na+ channel is closed
relative refractory phase
only strong stimulation can depolarize the axon to threshold to produce another action potential
saltatory conduction
the action potential jumps from one node of ranvier to the next
postsynaptic potentials
brief changes in the membrane potential of the postsynaptic cell
inhibitory postsynaptic potential
hyperpolarization potential in a neuron (decreases probability of action potential)
excitatory postsynaptic potential
depolarization potential in a neuron that is normally caused by synaptic excitation (increases probability of action potential)
spatial summation
summation of postsynaptic potentials that reach the axon hillock from different locations across the cell body
temporal summation
spread of time postsynaptic potentials reach the axon hillock
synaptic delay
brief delay between the arrival of an action potential at the axon terminal and the creation of a postsynaptic potential
sodium-potassium pump
exchanging three sodium ions for every two potassium ions from the intracellular environment.
ligand
substance that binds to receptor molecules.
agonists
molecules that act like transmitters at a receptor of that transmitter: activates the receptor
antagonists
interfere with or prevent the action of a transmitter, don’t activate receptors
degradation
chemical breakdown of a neurotransmitter into inactive metabolites
reuptake
transmitter molecules are cleared by bein absorbed back into the axon terminal that released them
transporters
return transmitter molecules to the presynaptic neuron for reuse
electroencephalograms (eegs)
the recording of ross electrical activity of the brain via large electrodes placed on the scalp
event-related potentials
EEG responses to a single stimulus such as a flash of light
epilepsy
major sudden changes in the electrophysical state of the brain
tonic-clonic seizures
neurons fire in high-frequency bursts, accompanied by rhythmic contractions of the body
simple partial seizures
spike-and-wave EEG activity is evident for 5-15 seconds
complex partial seizures
do not involve the entire brain and thus can produce a wide variety of symptoms, often preceded by an unusual sensation of aura
conduction velocity
the speed of propagation of action potentials, varies with axon diameter
neurons
basic unit of the nervous system composed of dendrites, an axon, and a transmitting axon terminal
glial cells
provides a variety of support functions but also participates in information processing
4 functional zones of information processing
- input zone: dendrites receive information via synapses
- integration zone: neurons cell body combines info, then decides to send the signal out or not
- conduction zone: axons carry the neuron’s own electrical signals away from the cell body
- output zone: axon terminals transmit the neurons signals across synapses to other cells
axon terminals
specialized swellings at the ends of the axon
multipolar neurons
many dendrites and a single axon (most common)
ion channels
proteins that span the membrane and can allow ions to pass through
exogenous
substances from outside the body
endogenous
substances from inside the body
neurotransmitter receptors
protein molecules embedded in the postsynaptic membrane that recognize a specific transmitter
ionotropic receptor
a receptor protein containing an ion channel that opens when the receptor is bound by an agonist
metabotropic receptors
doesn’t contain ion channels but use a secondary-messenger system to open nearby ion channels or to produce other cellular effects
G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRS
receptor, when activated extracellularly, initiates a G protein signaling mechanisms inside the cell
amino acid neurotransmitters
a neurotransmitter that is an amino acid
amine neurotransmitter
a neurotransmitter based on modifications of a single amino acid nucleus
peptide neurotransmitter
a neurotransmitter consisting of a short chain of amino acids
gas neurotransmitters
a neurotransmitter that is a soluble gas
co-localization
the synthesis and release of more than one type of neurotransmitter by a given presynaptic neuron
acetylcholine
plays a major role in transmission in the forebrain
- memory
cholinergic
cells that use acetylcholine as their synaptic transmitter
basal forebrain
major source of cholinergic projections in the brain and has been implicated in sleep