Neurochemistry Flashcards
What’s the difference between epsp and ipsp
Excitatory is likely to cause an action potential
Inhibitory is likely to stop
What are the two types of synaptic potentials
Excitatory post synaptic potential (epsp)
Or
Inhibitory post synaptic potential
What is the effect of dendrites communicating with other neurons?
Can bring positive ions into the cell which produces a small depolarisation. This is call an epsp
How does an ipsp work
Communication with dendrites from other neurons can bring negative ions into the cells, which produce a small hyperpolarisation. This is called an ipsp.
What is neural integration?
Where dendrites receive different information from different transmitters and this is integrated at the axon hillocks
What is temporal summation
One neuron fires several times from the same spot
What is spatial summation
Information is coming from several neurons and it is then integrated
Why do we have action potentials
Sophisticated transfer of information
How does one neuron communicate with the next
Electrical- through gap junctions (electrical synapses)
Chemical- synaptic clef (chemical synapses)
What are gap junctions
Electrical synapses
Seen between glial cells.
Transfer ions between the plasma wall of neurites via connexons
What are chemical synapses
Formed between terminal button and dendritic spine
Neurotransmitters are packaged in synaptic vesicles ready for release into the synapses
How wide is a synapse
20-25 nm wide
What is exocytosis
The neurotransmitter exists the cell.
The action potential increases calcium in chemical button which causes neurotransmitter filled vesicles to move to the membrane and release contents into the synapse.
What is endocytosis
When neurotransmitters are recycled back into the terminal.
How are neurotransmitters removed from the synapse?
Reuptaken and broken down by metabolism
