IV. Synaptic Transmission

1. Properties of the synapse 

Synaptic transmission of the reflex arc explains in a more simplified form how neurons communicate with each other. In the illustration imagine that the stimulus is the doctor palpating your leg just underneath the knee with a small rubber mallet. The pressure  is the stimulus.  A sensory receptor responds to the stimulus and causes the release of neurotransmitter between the sensory cell  (blue) and the interneuron with the spinal cord, cell B (green).  When the neurotransmitter molecules binds to a receptor site in the dendrites of cell C (red), which is a motor neuron the result is the movement of a muscle fiber. Multiply this by hundreds of thousands and the result is that the pressure on the nerve causes to muscles to involuntarily move the leg.
 Identify Cell A, Cell B and Cell C.

2. Neuron Story: A simplified version of synaptic transmission

Here is the link to the complete Neuron Story on You Tube.

This is an audio recording of the Neuron Story lecture. This recording corresponds to units 2.2 and 3.1 of the textbook, Biological Psychology by Kalat. However, all versions of synaptic transmission contain the same basic information. 

 There are five parts to the Neuron Story that you are expected to know and understand.

 KNOW means- able to reproduce progression of events depicted in the slides without the use of notes.

 UNDERSTAND means- able to explain each slide in your own words.  

For instance, in you own words- What is the difference between temporal and spatial summation?

Once you know and understand the Neuron Story, you will be understand why synaptic transmission is both a chemical and electrical event.  The oscilliscope drawings and the movement of ions make up the electrical part of the process, while the neurotransmitter is the neurochemical needed to start the process.

Create your own version of the Neuron Story. Use diagrams and charts to explain but don't use any notes for the lecture. Now record yourself.  Review the recording to see what you really understand.