ELM 5.2

Question 1

What are the two types of summation?

Answer 1

spatial - PSPs from multiple synapses (how close to hillock/initial segment?)
temporal - multiple PSPs from a single synapse (how often are the inputs firing?)

Question 2

What must happen in order for temporal summation to be effective?

Answer 2

PSPs must be additive - if new APs arrive before previous PSP decays, then will be compounded

Question 3

Most neurons encode information using:

Answer 3

Frequency modulation

Question 4

The process by which an inhibitory synapse close to the cell body can “switch off” signals for all of the excitatory inputs to a dendrite is known as:
stella110502

Answer 4

shunting inhibition
activating the inhibitory synapse is “like cutting a big hole in the leaky garden hose”. The opening of the chloride channels allows entry of chloride, which essentially cancels out the excitatory inputs.