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Describe the process of synaptic transmission. - AQA - A-Level Psychology - Question 8 - 2018 - Paper 1
Question 8
Describe the process of synaptic transmission.
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Describe the process of synaptic transmission. - AQA - A-Level Psychology - Question 8 - 2018 - Paper 1
Step 1
Step 2
The impulse reaches the synaptic vesicles to release a neurotransmitter.
Answer
Upon reaching the axon terminals, the electrical impulse causes the synaptic vesicles, which are small membrane-bound sacs containing neurotransmitters, to fuse with the pre-synaptic membrane. This fusion triggers the release of neurotransmitters into the synaptic cleft.
Step 3
These diffuse across the synaptic gap and attach to receptors.
Answer
The released neurotransmitters diffuse across the synaptic cleft and attach to specific receptors on the post-synaptic neuron's membrane. This binding can initiate a new electrical impulse in the post-synaptic neuron, continuing the transmission of the signal.