Last modified by adavison on 2021/08/03 17:48

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edited by adavison
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To version 12.1
edited by adavison
on 2021/08/03 16:21
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19 19  
20 20  == Prerequisites ==
21 21  
22 -To follow this tutorial, you need a basic knowledge of neuroscience (high-school level or greater). For example, you should know:
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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 -
35 35  == Format ==
36 36  
37 -This tutorial will be a video with slides and animations, but no code examples.
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38 38  
39 39  == Script ==
40 40