Nervous System –Synapse –Part 2

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Nervous System
• Syllabus –BPTH
• Sr No 2 –b
• Synapse –
• 1) Structure
• 2) Properties
• 3) Transmission

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Synapse –Excitatory Function
• Excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP) is
the non propagated electrical potential that
develops during the process of synaptic
transmission
• When the action potential reaches the
presynaptic axon terminal, the voltage gated
calcium channels at the presynaptic
membrane are opened

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Synapse –Excitatory Function
• Now, the calcium ions enter the axon terminal from ECF
Calcium ions cause the release of neurotransmitter
substance from the vesicles by means of exocytosis.
• Neurotransmitter,( Ach) which is excitatory in function
(excitatory neurotransmitter) passes through presynaptic
membrane and synaptic cleft and reaches the postsynaptic
membrane.
• Now, the Neurotransmitter binds with receptor protein
present in postsynaptic membrane to form
neurotransmitter- receptor complex.
• Neurotransmitterreceptor complex causes production of a
nonpropagated EPSP.
• Common excitatory neurotransmitter in a synapse is
acetylcholine.

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Synapse –Excitatory Function
Development of EPSP
• Neurotransmitter -receptor complex causes
opening of Ligand gated sodium channels.
• Now, the sodium ions from ECF enter the cell body
of postsynaptic neuron
• As the sodium ions are positively charged, resting
membrane potential inside the cell body is altered
and mild depolarization develops.
• This type of mild depolarization is called EPSP.
• It is a local potential (response) in the synapse.

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Synapse –Excitatory Function
Development of EPSP
( Excitatory Post Synpatic Potential )
• Properties of EPSP
• EPSP is confined only to the synapse.
• It is a graded potential
• It is similar to receptor potential and endplate
potential.
• EPSP has two properties:
• 1) It is non propagated
• 2) It does not obey all or none law.

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Synapse –Excitatory Function
Development of EPSP
• Significance of EPSP
• EPSP is not transmitted into the axon of postsynaptic
neuron.
• However, it causes development of action potential in the
axon.
• When EPSP is strong enough, it causes the opening of
voltage gated sodium channels in the initial segment of
axon.
• Now, due to the entrance of sodium ions, the depolarization
occurs in the initial segment of axon and thus, the action
potential develops.
• From here, the action potential spreads to other segment of
the axon.

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Synapse –Inhibitory Function
• Inhibition of synaptic transmission is
classified into five types:
• 1) Postsynaptic or direct inhibition
• 2) Presynaptic or indirect inhibition
• 3) Negative feedback or Renshaw cell
inhibition
• 4) Feedforward inhibition
• 5) Reciprocal inhibition.
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Synapse –Inhibitory Function
• Postsynaptic or Direct Inhibition
• Postsynaptic inhibition is the type of synaptic
inhibition that occurs due to the release of an
inhibitory neurotransmitter from presynaptic
terminal instead of an excitatory neurotransmitter
substance
• It is also called direct inhibition
• Inhibitory neurotransmitters are gamma amino
butyric acid (GABA), dopamine and glycine.

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Synapse –Inhibitory Function
• Action of GABA = development of inhibitory
postsynaptic potential Inhibitory postsynaptic
potential (IPSP) is the electrical potential in the
form of hyperpolarization that develops during
postsynaptic inhibition.
• Inhibitory neurotransmitter substance acts on
postsynaptic membrane by binding with receptor.
• Transmitter receptor complex opens the ligand
gated potassium channels instead of sodium
channels.

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Synapse –Inhibitory Function
• Now, the potassium ions, which are available in
plenty in the cell body of postsynaptic neuron
move to ECF.
• Simultaneously, chloride channels also open and
chloride ions (which are more in ECF) move inside
the cell body of postsynaptic neuron.
• The exit of potassium ions and influx of chloride
ions cause more negativity inside, leading to
hyperpolarization.
• Hyperpolarized state of the synapse inhibits
synaptic transmission
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Synapse –Inhibitory Function
• 2. Presynaptic or Indirect Inhibition
• Presynaptic inhibition occurs due to the failure of
presynaptic axon terminal to release sufficient
quantity of excitatory neurotransmitter substance.
• It is also called indirect inhibition.
• Presynaptic inhibition is mediated by axo axonal
synapses.
• It is prominent in spinal cord and regulates the
propagation of information to higher centers in
brain.

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Synapse –Inhibitory Function
• 2. Presynaptic or Indirect Inhibition
• Normally, during synaptic transmission,
action potential reaching the presynaptic neuron
produces development of EPSP in the postsynaptic
neuron.
• But, in spinal cord, a modulatory neuron called
presynaptic inhibitory neuron forms an axoaxonic
synapse with the presynaptic neuron

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Synapse –Inhibitory Function
• 2. Presynaptic or Indirect Inhibition
• This inhibitory neuron inhibits the presynaptic
neuron and decreases the magnitude of action
potential in presynaptic neuron.
• The smaller action potential reduces calcium
influx.
• This in turn decreases the quantity of
neurotransmitter released by presynaptic neuron.
• So the magnitude of EPSP in postsynaptic neuron is
decreased resulting in synaptic inhibition.

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Synapse –Inhibitory Function
• 3. Renshaw Cell or Negative Feedback
Inhibition
• Negative feedback inhibition is the type of
synaptic inhibition, which is caused by
Renshaw cells in spinal cord.
• Renshaw cells are small motor neurons
present in anterior gray horn of spinal cord
• Anterior nerve root consists of nerve fibers,
which leave the spinal cord.

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Synapse –Inhibitory Function
• 3. Renshaw Cell or Negative Feedback Inhibition
• These nerve fibers arise from α motor neurons in
anterior gray horn of the spinal cord and reach the
effector organ, muscles.
• Some of the fibers called collaterals fibers
terminate on Renshaw cells instead of leaving the
spinal cord.
• When motor neurons send motor impulses, some
of the impulses reach the Renshaw cell by passing
through collaterals.
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Synapse –Inhibitory Function
• 3. Renshaw Cell or Negative Feedback Inhibition
• Now, the Renshaw cell is stimulated.
• In turn, it sends inhibitory impulses to α motor
neurons so that, the discharge from motor neurons
is reduced
• In this way, Renshaw cell inhibition represents a
negative feedback mechanism.
• A Renshaw cell may be supplied by more than one
alpha motor neuron collateral and it may synapse
on many motor neurons.

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Synapse –Inhibitory Function
• 4. Feedforward Inhibition
• Feedforward synaptic inhibition occurs in
cerebellum and it controls the neuronal activity in
cerebellum
• During the process of neuronal activity in
cerebellum, stellate cells and basket cells, which
are activated by granule cells, inhibit the Purkinje
cells by releasing GABA
• This type of inhibition is called feedforward
inhibition.
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Synapse –Inhibitory Function
• 5. Reciprocal Inhibition
• Inhibition of antagonistic muscles
when a group of muscles are
activated is called reciprocal
inhibition.
• It is because of reciprocal
innervation
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Significance of Synaptic Inhibition
• Synaptic inhibition in CNS limits the number of
impulses going to muscles and enables the muscles to
act properly and appropriately
• Thus, the inhibition helps to select exact number of
impulses and to omit or block the excess ones
• When a poison like strychnine is introduced into the
body, it destroys the inhibitory function at synaptic
level resulting in continuous and convulsive contraction
even with slight stimulation
• In the nervous disorders like parkinsonism, the
inhibitory system is impaired resulting in rigidity.

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