PSYC 1000 Chapter Notes - Chapter 3: Axon Terminal, Membrane Potential, Extracellular Fluid

• School: Memorial University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 1000
• Professor: Elizabeth Russell

Document Summary

Neurons process all of the motor, sensory and cognitive information that enters, leaves or is in the central nervous system: means we need a lot of different types as well as many neurons. Number of synapses is in the quadrillions. To process information, they must communicate with other neurons: send messages to one another by complex electrochemical interactions. An electrical signal can then be passed along one neuron (by neurotransmitter), created in another. Ions: atoms and molecules that have a relative imbalance of protons and electrons and are therefore either positive or negative. Neuron membrane is permeable: under certain conditions, ions can move back and forth across the neuron membrane. Unequal distribution occurs because: neu(cid:396)o(cid:374)"s (cid:373)e(cid:373)(cid:271)(cid:396)a(cid:374)e is se(cid:373)ipe(cid:396)(cid:373)ea(cid:271)le to io(cid:374)s. Membrane is not equally permeable to all ions. Ion channels: pores in the cell membrane that can open and close to allow certain ions into and out of the cell.