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Nerve impulse. Action potential travels along an axon Information passes from presynaptic neuron to postsynaptic cell. General properties of synapses. Electrical Rare Pre- and postsynaptic cells are bound by interlocking membrane proteins. General properties of synapses. Chemical synapses
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Nerve impulse • Action potential travels along an axon • Information passes from presynaptic neuron to postsynaptic cell
General properties of synapses • Electrical • Rare • Pre- and postsynaptic cells are bound by interlocking membrane proteins
General properties of synapses • Chemical synapses • More common • Excitatory neurotransmitters cause depolarization and promote action potential generation • Inhibitory neurotransmitters cause hyperpolarization and suppress action potentials
Cholinergic synapses • Release acetylcholine (ACh) • Information flows across synaptic cleft • Synaptic delay occurs as calcium influx and neurotransmitter release take appreciable amounts of time • ACh broken down • Choline reabsorbed by presynaptic neurons and recycled • Synaptic fatigue occurs when stores of ACh are exhausted
Figure 12.19 The Function of a Cholinergic Synapse PLAY Animation: Overview of a cholinergic synapse Figure 12.19.1
Figure 12.19 The Function of a Cholinergic Synapse Figure 12.19.2
Other neurotransmitters • Adrenergic synapses release norepinephrine (NE) • Other important neurotransmitters include • Dopamine • Serotonin • GABA (gamma aminobutyric acid)
Neuromodulators • Influence post-synaptic cells response to neurotransmitter • Neurotransmitters can have direct or indirect effect on membrane potential • Can exert influence via lipid-soluble gases PLAY Animation: Synaptic potentials, cellular integration, and synaptic transmission
Figure 12.21 Neurotransmitter Functions Figure 12.21a
Figure 12.21 Neurotransmitter Functions Figure 12.21b
Figure 12.21 Neurotransmitter Functions Figure 12.21c
Information processing • Simplest level of information processing occurs at the cellular level • Excitatory and inhibitory potentials are integrated through interactions between postsynaptic potentials
Postsynaptic potentials • EPSP (excitatory postsynaptic potential) = depolarization • EPSP can combine through summation • Temporal summation • Spatial summation • IPSP (inhibitory postsynaptic potential) = hyperpolarization • Most important determinants of neural activity are EPSP / IPSP interactions
Figure 12.22 Temporal and Spatial Summation Figure 12.22a
Figure 12.22 Temporal and Spatial Summation Figure 12.22b
Figure 12.23 EPSP – IPSP Interactions Figure 12.23
Presynaptic inhibition • GABA release at axoaxonal synapse inhibits opening calcium channels in synaptic knob • Reduces amount of neurotransmitter released when action potential arrives
Figure 12.24 Presynaptic Inhibition and Facilitation Figure 12.24
Presynaptic facilitation • Activity at axoaxonal synapse increases amount of neurotransmitter released when action potential arrives • Enhances and prolongs the effect of the neurotransmitter
Figure 12.24 Presynaptic Inhibition and Facilitation Figure 12.24
Rate of generation of action potentials • Neurotransmitters are either excitatory or inhibitory • Effect on initial membrane segment reflects an integration of all activity at that time • Neuromodulators alter the rate of release of neurotransmitters
Rate of generation of action potentials • Can be facilitated or inhibited by other extracellular chemicals • Effect of presynaptic neuron may be altered by other neurons • Degree of depolarization determines frequency of action potential generation
You should now be familiar with: • The two major divisions of the nervous system and their characteristics. • The structures/ functions of a typical neuron. • The location and function of neuroglia. • How resting potential is created and maintained.
You should now be familiar with: • The events in the generation and propagation of an action potential. • The structure / function of a synapse. • The major types of neurotransmitters and neuromodulators. • The processing of information in neural tissue.