Explain Why It Is the Receptor and Not the Neurotransmitter

question 27

Essay

Explain why it is the receptor and not the neurotransmitter that determines whether the postsynaptic membrane produces an EPSP or an IPSP.

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Definitions:

Behavior

The actions or reactions of an object or organism, usually in relation to the environment.

Forebrain

The anterior part of the brain, including the cerebral hemispheres, the thalamus, and the hypothalamus, responsible for complex behaviors, thought, and emotion.

Action Potential

A temporary reversal of the electrical polarization of the membrane of a nerve cell or muscle cell, allowing for the transmission of signals.

Axon

A long, slender projection of a nerve cell, or neuron, that conducts electrical impulses away from the neuron's cell body.