Närvisignaal

Närvisignaal refers to the electrical and chemical impulses that travel along nerve cells, or neurons, enabling communication within the nervous system. These signals are fundamental to all bodily functions, from thought and movement to sensory perception and organ regulation.

The process begins when a neuron is stimulated, typically by a chemical or physical change in its environment. This stimulation causes a change in the electrical potential across the neuron's cell membrane, initiating an action potential. The action potential is a rapid, transient change in membrane potential that propagates as a wave along the axon, the long projection of the neuron. This electrical impulse travels at high speed, allowing for swift transmission of information.

Upon reaching the end of the axon, at a junction called a synapse, the electrical signal is converted into a chemical signal. Neurotransmitters, chemical messengers, are released from the presynaptic neuron into the synaptic cleft, the small gap between neurons. These neurotransmitters then bind to specific receptors on the postsynaptic neuron, either exciting it to generate its own electrical signal or inhibiting it, thereby modulating the overall neural activity. This complex interplay of electrical and chemical signaling allows for the intricate processing and transmission of information throughout the nervous system, forming the basis of our thoughts, feelings, and actions.