Foundations of Neural Communication

Neural Transmission

the process by which neurons communicate with each other through electrical and chemical signals

Threshold

the level of stimulation required to trigger an action potential in a neuron. It is the minimum amount of stimulation necessary to produce a response

Action Potential

brief electrical impulse that travels along the axon of a neuron. occurs when the neuron receives a stimulus that causes the inside of the cell to become more positively charged than the outside

All-or-Nothing Principle

states that once a neuron reaches its threshold of excitation, it will fire an action potential at full strength

Depolarization

phase of action potential where the inside of the neuron becomes less negative compared to the outside due to the influx of positively charged ions, such as sodium ions, through ion channels in the cell membrane

Refractory Period

brief period following an action potential during which a neuron is unable to generate another action potential

Resting Potential

the stable, negative electrical charge that exists across the cell membrane of a neuron when it is not actively transmitting signals

Reuptake

process in which neurotransmitters that have been released into the synapse are reabsorbed by the presynaptic neuron from which they were originally released

Multiple Sclerosis

chronic autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord. occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks the protective myelin sheath, a fatty substance that surrounds and insulates nerve fibers, causing inflammation and damage

Myasthenia Gravis

chronic autoimmune disorder that affects the neuromuscular junction, where nerve impulses are transmitted to muscles.