PSYCO275 Chapter Notes - Chapter 4: Metabotropic Receptor, Dendritic Spine, Axon Terminal
Document Summary
Synapse a point at which one neuron influences another. Convergent circuit signals from many neurons are sent on to just a few. Divergent circuit signals from one neuron are sent out to many others. Reverberating circuit a circular circuit that returns a signal to its source. Presynaptic membrane the membrane of the axon terminal. Synaptic cleft the space between the axon terminal and the dendritic spine. Postsynaptic membrane the membrane of the dendritic spine or soma. Active zone the region located just behind the presynaptic membrane in which vesicles about to fuse with the membrane congregate. Neuromuscular junction the point of connection between a motor neuron and a muscle cell. Can be easily accessed and isolated in invertebrate nervous systems. A target of much of the early work on synaptic transmissions. Characterized by large areas where neurotransmitters are released. Axodendritic synapse a synapse formed on the dendritic tree of the target cell.