Definitions
What do you mean when we say neurons communicate "electrochemically"?
First they receive and transmit electrical signals. Then they release chemicals that reach the target of communication.
What is the threshold voltage that must be reduced for a neuron fire?
-55 MV the level of depolarization has been reached and the neuron will now fire.
What is the all or none law?
It dictates that if a neuron reaches the threshold level of depolarization it fires.
What is a neurotransmitter?
Chemical messengers stored in synaptic vesicles inside the terminal button that allow for the sending of communication signals from one neuron to the next.
What is a neurotransmitter excitatory effect?
When an excitatory neurotransmitter binds to a reception site, it makes receiving neuron more likely to fire off its own action potential.
What is an action potential?
The electrical component of neural transmission.it occurs when a neuron sends electrical impulses down the axon.
What happens during the spreading of action potential and repolarization phase?
As one section of the axon becomes depolarized, it stimulates the next section, causing it to depolarize and fire.
What is a failed initiation?
It's if it doesn't reach the threshold, there will be no action potential fired, and the neurons returns to resting state.
What is a synaptic gap?
Fluid filled gap that separates the terminal button of the presynaptic neuron from its target. Neurotransmitters flow across the gap to reach their target (neurons don't touch one another).
What is an inhibitory effect?
Inhibitory neurotransmitters make the receiving neuron less likely to fire off its own action potential.
What are ions?
Substance within the body that carry an electric charge measured in millivolts. Discharge can be positive or negative. Ions interact with the axon of neuron, leading to an action potential.
What is saltatory conduction?
Which part of the neuron does it involve?
What purpose does it serve?
1. In the case of an axon wrapped in myelin sheath, the electrical impulse skips from node of Ranvier to node Ranvier it causes the communication signal to travel faster than it would through an unmyelinated axon.
2. Myelin sheath, axon, node of Ranvier.
3. Positive ions leave the axon restoring it to a negatively charged state.
What is the synapse?
The area where the terminal button of the neuron sending the communication signal and the dendrite at a neuron receiving the communication signal meet.
What are synoptic vesicles?
Spears in the terminal button at the end of a neuron that store neurotransmitters.
What happens to neurotransmitters that are in the left of the synaptic gap after they have relayed their communication signal.
Neurotransmitters can be taken back up into the neuron that sent them out or they can be broken down and eliminated.
What happens in the resting potential phase?
What is the voltage during this phase?
The inside of the neuron has more negatively charged ions than the outside.
-70 mill volts (relative to the outside)
What happens during the recovery period phase.
It helps prevent the neuron from firing off another action potential until the normal resting state of -70 MV has been restored.
What are participants?
Human volunteers to provide some sort of data pertaining. The topic of interest at times animals are used.
What are receptor sites?
Sites on the postsynaptic neurons dendrites that neurotransmitters can't bind to. Once a neurotransmitter has locked into a receptor site, the communication of information is finally complete.
What is self report data?
We simply ask participants to provide information about themselves.
What happens in the action potential phase?
To start off, channels open to allow positively charged ions to enter the inside of the axon. The movement of positive ions into the neuron causes the inside to gradually become more positively charged (this process is called depolarization)
What does hyperpolarization mean?
For a short time after firing, the neuron is extra negatively charged.
What is data?
Information pertaining the topic of interest. Collected using a variety of methods, such as psychological test or participant information.
What is an advantage to self report data?
Collect information directly from participants.
What is a disadvantage to self report data?
What is the dunning Krueger effect?
A disadvantage is that it could be biased and participants may alter their response to appear more favourable.
The Dunning-Kruger effect is a cognitive bias where people with low ability or knowledge in a particular area tend to overestimate their competence, while those with high ability may underestimate theirs.