synapses

Question 1

synapse

Answer 1

the small gap between two neurons where they communicate with each other

Question 2

types of synapses

Answer 2

excitatory, inhibitory

Question 3

excitatory synpase

Answer 3

you pinch the skin, activate sensory fibres, synapse onto a motor neuron, stimulate the neuron, and this contracts the muscle = excitatory pathway

Question 4

inhibitory synapse

Answer 4

in the reflex pathway there is an inhibitory neuron (interneuron) that inhibits that activation of the opposite of whats being excited e.g exciting the flexor muscle and inhibiting the extensor muscle

Question 5

temporal summation

Answer 5

occurs when two weak stimuli rapidly follow each other at the same site and add together to induce an action potential in the post synaptic cell

Question 6

spacial summation

Answer 6

occurs in two different dendrites when activated simultaneously or shortly after each other

Question 7

how does order affect spatial summation

Answer 7

if the synapse are activated/fired in the direction of the axon and cell body it creates a stronger depolarisation. if they are activated first closer to the cell body and then back out there is less chance of producing an action potential

Question 8

what are the two ways synaptic communication can simulate the receiving neuron

Answer 8

EPSP and IPSP

Question 9

where are excitatory synapses found

Answer 9

dendritic spines

Question 10

where are inhibitory synapses found

Answer 10

dendritic shafts or cell bodies