Synaptic transmission Flashcards
What is synaptic transmission?
The process by which neighbouring neurons communicate with each other by sending chemical messages across the gap which separates them.
What are neurotransmitters?
Chemicals that relay signals across a synapse from one neuron to another.
When are neurotransmitters released?
When the electrical impulse reaches the the presynaptic terminal, it is released from the synaptic vesicles.
What happened once the neurotransmitter has crossed the gap?
It is taken up by the postsynaptic receptor site where it is converted back into an electrical impulse and transmission continues.
What is excitation?
When a neurotransmitter increases the positive charge of a postsynaptic neuron and so increases the likelihood of the electrical impulse being passed on.
What is inhibition?
When a neurotransmitter increases the negative charge, decreasing the likelihood of the electron firing and passing on the impulse.
