The structure of a sensory, relay and motor. process of synaptic transmission

Question 1

what is the peripheral nervous system?

Answer 1

connects the brain and the spinal cord to the rest of the body and the external environment. transmits information to and from central nervous system.

Question 2

what are sensory neurons ?

Answer 2

conveys information about sensory stimuli: vision, touch towards the brain.

Question 3

what are motor neurons

Answer 3

conveys instructions for physical operations e.g. release of hormones from glands, muscle movement.

Question 4

what are relay neurons

Answer 4

connects different parts of the central nervous system

Question 5

what is synaptic transmission

Answer 5

process by which one neuron communicates with another

Question 6

what is the process of synaptic transmission?

Answer 6

• information is passed down the axon of the neuron as an electrical impulse, known as axon potential
• it must cross over the synaptic gap between the presynaptic neuron.
• At the end of the neuron are synaptic vessels, which contains chemical messages, known as neuron transmitters.
• when the electrical impulses reaches these synaptic vessels, they release their contents of neurotransmitters.
• neurotransmitters then carry the signal across they synaptic gap.
• They bind to receptor sites on the post synaptic cell

Question 7

what can the actions of neurotransmitters at synapses can be?

Answer 7

excitatory or inhibitory

Question 8

what does excitatory mean

Answer 8

e.g. dopamine. make a nerve impulse more likely to be triggered

Question 9

what does inhibitory mean

Answer 9

make a nerve impulse less likely to be triggered e.g serotonin