action potential

Neurons: cells in nervous system that use electrical and chemical signals to receive, process, and transmit information. 

Action Potential: short pulses of electrical activity that travel along neurons

Neurotransmitters: chemcials that carry information between neurons 

Senses: 

Stimulus: an aspect of an organism’s environment that is detectable by a neuron

Nociceptors: neuron that detects or transmits information about damaging stimuli or tissue damage. 

Axon: cable-like protrusion of the neuron which the action potential travels down

Dendrites: tree-like set of extensions that receive stiumli 

Soma: cell body that contains the nucleus

Synapse: at the end of neuron’s axon and allows neuron to communicate with another. 

Synaptic connections: where connections with other neurons and input occurs. 

Receptive field: a pain receptor responds to stimuli in a specific location

Membrane potential: voltage difference between inside and outside of the cell (V_m)

Resting Potential: 

Threshold potential: membrane potential above which a resting neuron will generate an action potential. 

Botulinum toxin: deadliest neurotoxin that could kill over a million people. Causes paralysis. 

Lidocaine: local anesthetic that blocks pain sensation by interfering with action potential in pain receptors and motor neurons

Ions: atoms or molecules that have a net positive or negative charge due to loss or gain of one or more electrons. 

Membranes: encloses a cell, separating inside and outside

Neurotoxins: chemicals that can interfere with neuron functioning

Ion channels: the way ions can move into our out of the neuron is through protiens call ion channels. 

Na⁺ channels: neurons have more concentration of Na+ outside cell than inside

K⁺ channels: neurons 

Diffusion: 

Depolarized: when neuron becomes more positive compared to resting potential

Hyperpolarized: when neuron becomes more negative compared to resting potential

Na+/K+ Ion pump: helps maintain osmotic equilibrium and membrane potential in cells. 

Transduction: Change in Vm in response to a stiumus

Transduction channels: initial transduction signal is facilitated by these channels that open in response to a particular stimulus. 

Voltage-gated Ion channels: When the membrane potential is high enough, electrical forces push the gate open.