Summary

• Page properties (1 modified, 0 added, 0 removed)

Details

Page properties

Content

...	...	@@ -19,8 +19,19 @@
19	19
20	20	== Prerequisites ==
21	21
22		-.
	22	+To follow this tutorial, you need a basic knowledge of neuroscience (high-school level or greater). For example, you should know:
23	23
	24	+* The brain is made up of electrically excitable cells called neurons, which have long, narrow extensions called dendrites and axons.
	25	+* Neurons have a voltage difference across their cell membrane due to differences in the concentration of sodium, potassium, calcium, chloride and other ions between the inside and the outside of the cell.
	26	+* The neuron cell membrane contains many proteins that can open or close to allow diffusion of different ions, or can actively transport ions across the membrane; this can cause rapid changes in the voltage difference.
	27	+* In general neurons receive signals from other neurons in their dendrites, and generate electrical pulses (large, rapid changes in the membrane voltage lasting a few milliseconds or less) called action potentials that travel down their axons to other neurons.
	28	+* The connections between neurons are called synapses, and the most common type of synapse is the chemical synapse, at which the arrival of an action potential triggers the release of a chemical, called a neurotransmitter, from one neuron into the space between two neurons; this chemical then diffuses across this space, and binds to proteins called receptors on the other neurons; this binding then leads to movements of ions across the cell membrane, and hence to changes in membrane voltage.
	29	+* Most neurons have a threshold voltage above which they will generate an action potential; most of the time, the membrane potential is below this level. When the voltage moves closer to this threshold we speak of "exciting" or "depolarising" the neuron; when the voltage moves away from this threshold, we speak of "inhibiting" or "hyperpolarising" the neuron.
	30	+* Some neurotransmitters cause depolarisation, others hyperpolarisation.
	31	+* In general, each synapse releases only one type of neurotransmitter, so we speak of "excitatory" or "inhibitory" synapses, depending on the effect of the neurotransmitter they release.
	32	+* In general, all the synapses of a given type of neuron release the same neurotransmitter, therefore we speak of "excitatory" or "inhibitory" neurons.
	33	+* Nervous systems are very complex, and most of the statements above are approximations, simplifications, or "general rules" with many exceptions!
	34	+
24	24	== Format ==
25	25
26	26	.