Psychology 1000 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Inhibitory Postsynaptic Potential, Axon Hillock, Semipermeable Membrane

• School: Western University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: Psychology 1000
• Professor: Dr.Mike

Document Summary

There is a lot of na+ outside the cell, so the inside of the cell becomes net. A neuron acts as a battery because the inside is negative (cl-) and the outside is positive. The neuron has a negative charge on it (-70 mv) at resting potential. As soon as it becomes stimulated (depolarized) the charge goes up a little bit because the na+ comes into the neuron. As soon as it hits threshold (-55mv), sodium gated channels open and na+ Rushes into the neuron (semipermeable membrane) and neuron hits +40 mv) Millivolts start to drop as k+ flows out of the neuron and into the space in between. We try to bring it back to resting potential. Eventually the k+ flows out enough and the neuron ends up back at -70. During the period of dropping from +40 to -70, it is called the absolute refractory period and nothing can affect the neuron.