BRAINCAKEThe Role of Synapses
Synapses ensure impulses can travel in only one direction. They allow a single impulse from a single neurone to be transmitted to multiple neurones via multiple synapses or a multiple neurones can connect to the same neurone so different neurones can interact to produce a single result.
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Key terms in this lesson
- Neurone
- A specialised nerve cell adapted to transmit electrical impulses (nerve impulses) around the body.
- Action potential
- The temporary reversal of the electrical charge across an axon membrane, from about -70mV to +40mV, that occurs when a neurone is stimulated above threshold.
- Neurotransmitter
- A chemical released from the presynaptic membrane at a synapse that diffuses across the synaptic cleft and binds to receptors on the postsynaptic membrane, triggering a response.
More in Neuronal Communication
- Saltatory Conduction
- Synapses
- Neurotransmitters
- Transmission of Impulse across Synapse
- Summation
- Structural Organisation of the Nervous System
- Functional Organisation of the Nervous System
- The Autonomic Nervous System
All 38 lessons in Neuronal Communication · All OCR A-level Biology topics