Nervous Transmission • Nerve cells are polarised in their resting state – difference in voltage across the neurone membrane with a value of -70mV o Resting potential • Resting potential is generated and maintained by a sodium-potassium pump which moves sodium ions out of the neurone and potassium pumps into the neurone o Creates electrochemical gradient as the concentration of sodium ions is higher outside the cell because the membrane is not permeable to sodium ions o Potassium ions diffuse back out because of potassium ion channels
Outside of the cell is positively charged due to the imbalance of positively charged ions
Depolarisation
• Action potential travels along the neurone as a wave of depolarisation where the sodium ions move to the adjacent resting region where they rigger a change in potential difference, thus stimulating another action potential
• Absolute refractory period = sodium ion channels are blocked and it is impossible for another action potential to be generated
• Relative refractory period = sodium channels are not blocked, but potassium ion channels are still open and effectively the threshold is raised
• Myelin sheath increases the speed at which the electrical potential is carried o Insulator of axons and dendrons, produced by schwann cells
Saltatory conduction::mechanism by which the speed is increased
Action potential jumps between gaps in the cells of the myelin sheath – nodes of ranvier because myelin sheath is impermeable
• Synapses are junctions between two neurones
Neurotransmitter binds to the receptors located on the postsynaptic membrane and:
Effects of Drugs on the Nervous System
• Nicotine mimics the effects of acetylcholine and triggers the release of dopamine and at height doses binds to and blocks acetylcholine receptors
• Lidocaine blocks voltage-gated sodium ion channels
• Cobra venom bings to blocks acetylcholine receptors