StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

Nerve Impulse Transmission - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
Synapse plays a great role in transmission of nerve impulses between cells, as it is literally the place of contact between the two neurons or a neuron and a recipient cell. Transmission of impulses is typically enabled chemically with help of mediators or electrically by the…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER98.2% of users find it useful
Nerve Impulse Transmission
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Nerve Impulse Transmission"

Role of Synapses in Nerve Impulse Transmission s Synapse plays a great role in transmission of nerve impulses between cells, as it is literally the place of contact between the two neurons or a neuron and a recipient cell. Transmission of impulses is typically enabled chemically with help of mediators or electrically by the ions’ passing from one cell to another. While neurons are cells passing neural signals to target cells, synapses are the conjunctions between neurons enabling transmission.

Thereby, each neuron has a great numbers of synapses on its surface, which can reach 10000. A typical chemical synapse consists of two parts: presynaptic (which is the plasma membrane of the neuron that passes a signal) and postsynaptic (the membrane of a recipient, target neuron). These two parts are separated by the synaptic cleft, a small gap (10-50 nanometers wide), with cell junctions on both ends of it. The part of the neuron’s axon terminal belonging to the synaptic cleft is called presynaptic membrane, while the area of the target cell limiting the cleft on the opposite side is called postsynaptic membrane, which typically contains multiple receptors.

Axon terminal of the passing cell contains synaptic vesicles, tiny bubbles with neurotransmitter. Thereby, neurotransmitter can be of two main types: inhibitory and excitatory, whereby excitatory neurotransmitter is the chemical mediator enabling transmission of the impulse and inhibitory neurotransmitter is a ferment dissolving this mediator. Postsynaptic membranes of the target cells have receptors sensitive to different neurotransmitters. The process of synaptic neurotransmission is extremely fast and relies on the following factors: availability of neurotransmitter and its timely release from the synaptic vesicles, binding effect of neurotransmitter on the receptor located in the postsynaptic membrane, response of the target cell with the subsequent deactivation or removal of the used neurotransmitter.

The process of synaptic transmission on its initial stage is activated by action potential, which is the “electrical signal generated near the cell body of a neuron” (Stufflebeam, 2008). Once these signals are generated near the body of a presynaptic cell, they spread to the axon terminal and trigger release of neurotransmitter from the synaptic vesicles (Wang et al., 2009, p.1). Neurotransmitter released from the synaptic bubble moves across the synapse and synaptic gap until it is detected by and binds with the sensitive receptors of the postsynaptic membrane.

The effect produced in the postsynaptic neuron after binding with neurotransmitter depends on the type of the latter – either inhibitory or excitatory. The neurotransmitter has a very short-term effect, whereafter it is dissolved by a specific ferment as soon as it completes its task. Furthermore, it is necessary to mention that the type of the synapse – inhibitory or excitatory depends on the type of neurotransmitter contained in the axon terminal. For instance, some mediators such as glutamate are typical only for excitatory synapses, while gamma-aminobutyric acid is a typical mediator of inhibitory synapses.

Thereby, binding of chemical neurotransmitters to the receptors of the target neurons might result in short-term changes such as change of membrane potential or in long-term changes that are triggered once signaling cascades are activated. Effect of synaptic neurotransmission is believed to be significant for memory formation. Thereby, the storage of information is preconditioned by the effect of neurotransmitters on the receptors within the synaptic gap and strengthening the bond between two cells.

When both presynaptic and postsynaptic neurons and active simultaneously due to signaling mechanisms of the receptor, the information is stored and memory is formed. Reference list:Stufflebeam, R. (2008). Neurons, Synapses, Action Potentials, and Neurotransmission. Consortium on Cognitive Science Instruction. Retrieved June 29, 2015 from: http://www.mind.ilstu.edu/curriculum/neurons_intro/neurons_intro.phpWang, L., Fedchyshyn, M. J., & Yang, Y. (2009). Action potential evoked transmitter release in central synapses: Insights from the developing calyx of Held.

 Molecular Brain,2. doi:10.1186/1756-6606-2-36

Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Nerve Impulse Transmission Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words”, n.d.)
Nerve Impulse Transmission Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words. Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/psychology/1699478-nerve-impulse-transmission
(Nerve Impulse Transmission Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 Words)
Nerve Impulse Transmission Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 Words. https://studentshare.org/psychology/1699478-nerve-impulse-transmission.
“Nerve Impulse Transmission Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 Words”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/psychology/1699478-nerve-impulse-transmission.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Nerve Impulse Transmission

The Role of Each Part of the Nerve Cell

Name Instructor Course Date transmission of Electrical Impulses in the Cell Body In order to understand how electrical transmissions occur in a nerve cell, it is important for one to familiarize with the make-up of a basic nerve cell.... The regions of a nerve cell that hare mentioned above are the key structures in the nerve cell that work simultaneously to ensure that transmission of electrical impulses goes on smoothly in a nerve cell.... The electrical impulse as a result of the action potential is propagated to the axons at a speed 10s of meters per every second....
4 Pages (1000 words) Essay

The Case of the Off-Rhythm Bongo Player

More definitively explained by Jane Higdon of the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon University, calciumplays a role in mediating the constriction and relaxation of blood vessels (vasoconstriction and vasodilation), Nerve Impulse Transmission, muscle contraction, and the secretion of hormones, such as insulin.... For example, when a muscle fiber receives a nerve impulse that stimulates it to contract, calcium channels in the cell membrane open to allow a few calcium ions into the muscle cell....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay

Holistic Nutrition: Minerals as Co-factors for Enzymes

), a nutrition education specialist summarizes the functions of the minerals by saying that minerals help maintain acid-base balance, help regulate body processes, function in nerve-impulse transmission, and help release energy from food.... The aim of the following brief paper is to outline the minerals essential for the healthy functioning of our body....
1 Pages (250 words) Term Paper

The Sensory Nervous System

The sensory neurons are responsible for the transmission of messages from the various sensory receptors or organs in the human body, which receive the external stimulus, to the central nervous system.... While the action potential allows transmission within a neuron neurotransmitters allow the transmission of messages between different neurons through the synaptic cleft.... The motor neurons transmit the message impulses from the CNS to the corresponding effector organ which might be a muscle or a gland which responds to the received impulse....
2 Pages (500 words) Essay

My Messengers and Interpreter

When a certain stimulus is strong enough, sensory receptors can initiate electrical responses which trigger a series of Nerve Impulse Transmission.... urthermore, nerves are bundles of neurons responsible for the actual transmission of electrical impulses throughout the body.... Basically, dendrites conduct impulses toward the cell body, while the axon relays the impulse to the next neuron (Marieb 226).... Depending on the nature of the impulse, the brain eventually sends a response to a specific body organ, or simply interprets the impulse to arouse a subjective reaction....
1 Pages (250 words) Essay

Problems of toxicology on the human organism

This paper "Problems of toxicology on the human organism" explores questions bio-activation.... It is the process whereby enzymes in the body act upon a compound in order to biotransform it.... The compound is not fully biotransformed thereby forming metabolite which is toxic.... hellip; Detoxification is a process whereby all the toxins in the body are removed....
4 Pages (1000 words) Assignment

General Stipulations on Storage of Methyl Methacrylate

This report "General Stipulations on Storage of Methyl Methacrylate" presents the storage of Methyl methacrylate as a feasible proposal in terms of commercial, environmental, health, operational, and technical aspects.... The legalities in the storage of the chemical will have to be confirmed.... hellip; Operational training and a policy and procedure formulation is highly suggested to ensure proper handling standards....
5 Pages (1250 words) Report

Gas Exchange and Transport

s shown in figure 3, the activity of the external intercostal muscles, diaphragm, and respiratory muscles is regulated through Nerve Impulse Transmission from the brain, specifically through the intercostal and phrenic nerves (Honda, 2012: p43).... This work called "Gas Exchange and Transport" describes respiratory system components, their functions....
9 Pages (2250 words) Essay
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us