Neuronilähettämät

Neuronilähettämät refers to the process by which neurons communicate with each other. This communication happens at specialized junctions called synapses. When a neuron, specifically the presynaptic neuron, is activated, it sends an electrical signal called an action potential down its axon. This electrical signal reaches the axon terminal, the end of the neuron.

At the axon terminal, the electrical signal triggers the release of chemical messengers known as neurotransmitters into the synaptic cleft, the tiny space between the presynaptic and postsynaptic neurons. These neurotransmitters are stored in small sacs called vesicles within the presynaptic terminal. Upon arrival of the action potential, these vesicles fuse with the cell membrane and release their contents into the synaptic cleft.

The released neurotransmitters then diffuse across the synaptic cleft and bind to specific receptor proteins on the membrane of the postsynaptic neuron. This binding can have excitatory or inhibitory effects on the postsynaptic neuron. If the effect is excitatory, it increases the likelihood that the postsynaptic neuron will fire its own action potential. If the effect is inhibitory, it decreases the likelihood of the postsynaptic neuron firing.

Once the neurotransmitter has served its purpose, it is either broken down by enzymes in the synaptic cleft, reabsorbed by the presynaptic neuron (reuptake), or diffuses away. This process ensures that the signal is brief and can be precisely controlled. This intricate mechanism of neuronilähettämät is fundamental to all brain functions, including thought, emotion, movement, and sensation.