ANP 1106 Lecture 15: Nerve Impulse and Synaptic Transmission pt. 1

• School: University of Ottawa
• Department: Anatomy and Physiology
• Course: ANP 1106
• Professor: Jackie Carnegie

Document Summary

Physiology of nervous system (nerve impulse and synaptic transmission) Neurons are excitable responsible to stimuli by showing depolarization. Some ion molecules in the body (na+, k+, ca2+, cl-) have electrical charge and are unevenly distributed across the cell membraned, this creates a charge separation that results in potential energy (voltage) Voltage: a charge separation energy measured btwn two point, aka a potential: biological potentials have voltages ranging from -90 to -70 but under special circumstances can jump to. Current: flow of charge from one point to another is a result of potential; amount of current depends on the resistance (the impediment to current flow) Electrical force increases with the quantity of + and ve charge and when the charges are closer to each other. Membrane is polarized intracellular fluid is more ve (-70mv) than the extracellular fluid across thin membrane. Charge provides the electrical gradient that drives ion movement across the membranes of excitable cells.