PSYC 211 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Choroid Plexus, Neurotransmitter Receptor, Axon Terminal

• School: McGill University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 211
• Professor: Jonathan Britt

Document Summary

Postsynaptic potentials are brief depolarizations/hyperpolarizations(typically lasting a few miliseconds), caused by neurotransmitter activation of postsynaptic receptors (both ionotropic and metabotropic receptors). Postsynaptic potentials are kept brief by two mechanisms- reuptake and enzymatic deactivation. Post-synaptic potentials and how when a neurotransmitter is released they either depolarize or hyperpolarize the downstream neuron- the. These post-synaptic potentials last on average just a few miliseconds, some may last longer depending on if the receptor has a cascade of effects. In general, they are very brief and in order for a neuron to reach threshold, many depolarizing neurons have to summate. To get the downstream neuron to reach threshold. The feature of just how postsynaptic potentials end, what causes them to be brief: A neuron just did an action potential and they released neurotransmitter into the synaptic space- and it is activating the post-synaptic neurotransmitter receptors. Re-uptake- brought back into the pre-synaptic membrane and recycled.