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NERVE IMPULSE TRANSMISSION
A nerve impulse is an electro-negative wave that travels over the cell's
membrane. To understand the way in which a nerve impulse travels, follow this
example of a hand touching a match:
a. The hand touches a lighter match -- stimulus.
b. A dendrite receives the impulse from the skin. The impulse is then
transmitted over each neuron as follows:
(1)
Cell body.
(2)
Axon.
(3)
Axon terminals.
Figure 1-5. The transmission of a nerve impulse.
(4) Synapse. Synapse is the junction between two neurons where the
electrical activity in one neuron influences the excitability of the second neuron. At this
point (the synapse), a chemical reaction occurs.
MD0572
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