Synaptic Transmission -Exhibition / Inhibition

What is meant by synaptic transmission? AO1

Process by which neurons can communicate with each other

Chemical messages are sent across the synaptic cleft that separates them

Synaptic Transmission- first step? AO1

impulse in the form of an action potential arrives at end of pre synaptic neurone

second step? AO1

at end of pre synaptic neurone there are synaptic vesicles which contain messaged in the form of neurotransmitters

when the action potential arrives at end of pre synaptic neurone these vesicles release the neurotransmitters into the synaptic cleft

What is the synaptic cleft? AO1

gap between pre synaptic and post synaptic neurone

third step? AO1

the neurotransmitters diffuse across the synaptic cleft

they bind to receptors on the surface of the post synaptic neurone

fourth step? AO1

binding activates the receptors on the post synaptic neurone

once activated these receptors produce either an inhibitory or an excitatory effect on the post synaptic neurone

What happens if the neurotransmitter is more inhibitory during summation ? AO1

-what is an example of this?

example= for serotonin

would cause a negative charge, meaning the signal will be less likely to fire in the post synaptic neurone

What happens if the neurotransmitter is more excitatory during summation? AO1

-what is an example of this?

example= for adrenaline

would cause a positive charge in the post synaptic neurone making the signal more likely to fire

What can happen to some neurotransmitters? AO1

some can fail to bind to the receptor sites of the post synaptic neurone

What happens to neurotransmitters that fail to bind? AO1

-what is this process called?

they diffuse back to the vesicles in the pre synaptic neurone —> process called=reuptake

OR

they will be removed from the synaptic gap via enzymes breaking these down