Neurotransmission

Neural transmission occurs when a neuron is activated, or fired (sends out an electrical impulse) .

Activation

Activation or firing of the neuron takes place when the neuron is stimulated by pressure, heat, light, or chemical information from other cells. The fluid inside a neuron is separated from that outside by a polarized cell membrane that contains electrically charged particles known as ions. When a neuron is sufficiently stimulated to reach the neural threshold (a level of stimulation below, which the cell does not fire) , depolarization or a change in cell potential occurs.

Potential

The term potential refers the diffe…

Membrane potentials are described by various ionic concentration configurations outside and inside the membrane of a cell. These potentials are resting membrane potential, action potential, post-synaptic potentials. Beginning with the transduction process at the receptor, physical energy results in a pattern of nerve impulses in the central nervous system.

Physical energy is changed into a code made up of o pattern of nerve firings. The firing patterns that correspond to events in the environment are known as afferent codes.

Resting Potential

It is the potential maintained by the inactive neuron. When unstimulated, a neuron is like a small battery and has a measurable negat…