Neurons communicate through an electrochemical process called intracellular signaling and intercellular signaling. The way they achieve this long distance rapid communication is through the action potential. This action potential is generated by the cell body of the axon. This is where the electrochemical gradient comes into play. The membrane potential of a neuron is normally -70 millivolts and the membrane is polarized. It is the influx sodium ions and outflux of potassium ions and this will make the inside of the neuron more positive and depolarized. When this depolarization reaches a threshold, a little reminder a neuron is either on or off, a large electrical signal is generated. This signal called an action potential travels down the axon until it reaches an axon terminal. …show more content…
The axon terminal is where neurotransmission takes place, the axon terminal now sends out signals to other neurons. At an electrical synapses this output will be electrical in nature. At an electrical synapse, two neurons are physically connected to one another through gap junctions. Gap junctions allow the charge from one neuron to travel to the other neuron. This is how two neuron communicate and of course this continues throughout the body so that a signal from fingertip could travel to your brain. However, at chemical synapses this output will be neurotransmitters such acetylcholine. The presynaptic neuron of the axon terminal and the postsynaptic neuron of the dendrite are separated by the synaptic cleft. This creates an electrical barrier that the neurotransmitter must overcome, it does this by acting like a chemical messenger which opens up voltage gateways that allow the passage of the neurotransmitter. These neurotransmitter send signals throughout the body and a dysfunction in either the amount or function of the neurotransmitter results in numerous