PSYCH261 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Otto Loewi, Saltatory Conduction, Ion Channel

• School: University of Waterloo
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYCH261
• Professor: Daniel Smilek

Document Summary

Protein chains: lots of amino acids making proteins. When the polarity is changed, it unwinds and allows potassium ions to flow through. It is always the same size for a given neuron. It is independant of the intensity of the stimulus (given that the stimulation reaches threshold) Different strengths of stimuli affects the firing rate of the neuron . Stronger stimulus will make the neuron fire faster and more frequently. Weaker stimulus will fire slower and less frequently. Only way it will stop if there is damage to the axon. When there is branching, the action potential goes down the same strength. The action potential is regenerated at adjacent regions of the axon, which results in its movement down the axon. Unmyelinated moves from adjacent location to adjacent location. There"s ion transfers in one location which triggers the action potential in the adjacent location. Every action potential depolarizes the one next to it as ions flow into it.