Psychology 1100E Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Axon Terminal, Resting Potential, Action Potential

• School: Western University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: Psychology 1100E
• Professor: Cheung, Hessel, Dumas, Cole

Document Summary

Two potential responses: a post-synaptic neuron can either be likely to generate an action potential based on its reaction, may excite the neuron by depolarizing it and stimulating the exchange of sodium or other positively charge neurons. This makes it more likely for it to pass the threshold and enter a potential action: some encourage it to drop below -55 negative charge, excitatory neurotransmitter depolarizes (cid:374)euro(cid:374)"s (cid:373)e(cid:373)(cid:271)ra(cid:374)e increases likelihood of action potential. In other cases, the molecule may become hyperpolarized. May cause the membrane to allow more positively charged ions to flow out while more negatively charged ions flow in. This makes it difficult for a neuron to become active. Inhibitory make the neuron more negative reventing it from firing. Decreased likelihood of action protentional: deactivation: once the neurotransmitter is bound, it will either continue to inhibit or excitatory communication. Some are reuptake, meaning that the transmitter is absorbed back into the axon terminal.