Neurons

Question 1

What do axons do?

Answer 1

they transmit bursts of electrical potentials down to the terminal buttons
this creates an action potential

Question 2

What is the frequency for action potential / spike trains?

Answer 2

up to 500Hz
(or 100Hz in the brain)

Question 3

What are the gaps between myelin sheaths called?

Answer 3

nodes of ranvier
conduction jumps from one node of range to the next

Question 4

Neurons maintain a resting membrane potential of what _?

Answer 4

• 70 millivolts
  they’re polarized

Question 5

How does a cell depolarise?

Answer 5

if the ion channels in the dendrites open and positive sodium ions flow in

Question 6

What do excitatory neurotransmitters do?

Answer 6

binds to receptors on the dendrites
cause sodium ion channels to open
causing cell to depolarise
makes it more likely to fire

Question 7

What do inhibitory neurotransmitters do?

Answer 7

causes Chloride ions to flow in
cell becomes less likely to depolarise
less likely to fire

Question 8

What is glutamate?

Answer 8

an excitatory neurotransmitter that is also an amino acid

Question 9

What is the process of synapses and neurotransmitters?

Answer 9

• signal reaches dendrites and travels down axon (action potential)
• when action potential reaches terminal buttons, neurotransmitters are released into synaptic cleft (gap)
• neurotransmitters can either excite o inhibit the post synaptic neuron (making it more or less likely to depolarise)