PSYC 2307 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Inhibitory Postsynaptic Potential, Neurotransmitter Receptor, Chemical Synapse

• School: Carleton University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 2307
• Professor: Brian Tansley

Document Summary

Neurons communicate w/ 1 another by sending signals across synapses. All info carried by action potentials, but not all of them carry info. Nervous systems = noisy" (i. e. , warm, metabolic-ally active, etc. ) In most neurons: small # of spontaneous action potentials produced (e. g. , typical. Resting level" spike rates vary b/w about 5-10 aps/sec) Cortical activity requires significant energy resources (atp) Although there"s neural signal, no info carried in action potentials created at spontaneous firing rate. Info flows within nervous system (i. e. , neural communication occurs) when rate of ap production in receiving neuron"s made to vary above or below neuron"s spontaneous or. Inter-neuron signaling: accomplished by synaptic transmission use of neurotransmitters that transiently alter post-synaptic membrane"s ionic permeability. Neurotransmitter binding on postsynaptic membrane can cause excitatory postsynaptic potentials (epsps) & inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (ipsps) Integration of epsps & ipsps occurs in axon hillock of receiving neuron: net result determines whether or not action potential"s generated.