neurons and synaptic transmission Flashcards
what are the three types of neurons
sensory, relay, motor neurons
what is the role of a sensory neuron
carries messages from the pns to the cns
they have long dendrites and short axons
what is the role of a relay neuron
connects sensory neurons to the motor or other relay neurons
they have short dendrites and axons
what is the role of a motor neuron
connects the cns to effectors such as muscles
they have short dendrites and long axons
name the structures of a neuron and its functions
cell body- contains genetic material
dendrites-carries nerve impulses
axon-carries impulses down neuron
myelin sheath- protects axon and speeds up electrical transmission
terminal buttons- communicates with the next neuron
what is electrical transmission
the neurons resting state is negatively charged
when activated by a stimulus, neuron is now positively charges
this causes an ACTION POTENTIAL
which creates an electrical impulse that travels down the axon
what happens to neurotransmitters
they diffuse across the synapse to the next neuron
then they are taken up by a post synaptic receptor site on the dendrites of the next neuron
then its converted back into an electrical impulse
what is a synapse
a tiny gap that seperates each neuron
what is chemical transmission
the release of a neurotransmitter across synaptic vesicles to carry an electrical impulse
what is it when the neurotransmitter increases the positive charge
excitation
what is it when the neurotransmitter increases the negative charge
inhibation
what charge is more likely to fire
positive charge
what is summations
the fires are determined by summation
the sum of the excitor and inhibitory signals determine if the action potential gets triggered
