Houston Business University

How does communication take place at the synapse?

One emphasis in the class is understanding the role of "communication" between neurons and the role of this communication process in allowing the brain to generate and respond to behaviors. I need to write a minimum of two pages describing my current understanding of How This Communication Takes Place At The SYNAPSE. In need to provide specifics, using terms. I don't know where to begin. I don't really even understand the subject. Any Help would be greatly appreciated!

Public Comments

1. There is tons of info and a few great pics on the wikipedia page. The communication that takes place in the synapse is chemical. A chemical messenger ( a molecule like glutamate or acetylcholine) spills out of one neuron into the synapse where it can be taken up by another neuron. Read through the "overview" section which talks about action potential. Also remember that our nervous system is electrical and chemical. At the synapse is where the chemical part comes in (basically).
2. The space between two neurons is called the synapse, and the actual gap is called the synaptic cleft. The axon at the synapse contains synaptic vesicles that store neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are molecules that transmit information from one neuron to another neuron or from a neuron to a target cell. The sending cell is called the presynaptic neuron, and the receiving cell is the postsynaptic neuron. An action potential arrives at the presynaptic terminal(at the end of the axon). Voltage-gated calcium channels open (open/close in response to changes in membrane voltage), and calcium enters the presynaptic neuron and triggers the fusion of synaptic vesicles. The vesicles release neurotransmitters into the synaptic cleft. The neurotransmitter diffuses and binds to receptors on the postsynaptic membrane. This makes the postsynaptic ion channels open (or close), and a voltage response is generated. The transmitter unbinds, is degraded or taken up by glia. hope that helps :-)