excitatory and inhibitory

excitatory

encourages a neuron to fire an action potential

inhibitory

discourages a neuron from firing an action potential

excitatory postsynaptic potential (epsp)

occurs when an excitatory neurotransmitter binds to the postsynaptic neuron and encourages an action potential

inhibitory post synaptic potential (ipsp)

occurs when an inhibitory neurotransmitter binds to the postsynaptic neuron and discourages an action potential

dopamine

excitatory but occasionally can be inhibitory

serotonin

inhibitory

reciprocal inhibition

occurs when one muscle is excited and contracts while its opposing muscle is inhibited and relaxes

charles sherrington

scientists who demonstrated that there must be a break in communication between neurons

temporal summation

occurs when signals arrive repeatedly at the same place withing a short period of time, allowing their effects to add together

spatial summation

occurs when signals arrive from multiple places at the same time, allowing their effects to add together