action potential

action potential

1. information carried between neurons chemically - neurotransmitters - within neurons electrically

2. sensory neurons send information to CNS - tissue damage triggers series of action potentials in group of neurons

3. motor neurons send information from CNS to muscles

4. sudden brief change in electrical resting voltage in cell and return - in fraction of a second

5. information encoded in 'frequency' of a potential - very cold > cold so more action potentials

6. important role in understanding nervous sytem - way of measuring how information is transmitted

   • accurate measurement by comparing activation with stable values at rest