| Term | Definition |
|---|
| Cell Body (Soma) | contains nucleus (genes) and endoplasmic reticulum (protein synthesis) |
| Dendrites | receptive area of a neuron. |
| Axon | contains axon hillock (signal initiation), myelin sheath (insulation), and nodes of Ranvier (signal relay sites). |
| Pre-synaptic Terminals | output area, location of synapse and site of neurotransmitter release. |
| Input Conductance | a measure of the electrical conductance of a neuron to input current. |
| Membrane Capacitance | influences the time course of the change in Vm. |
| Axial Conductance | is less in long dendrites and is greater in large-diamter dendrites. |
| Length Constant | indicates the distance that the change in membrane potential has decayed to 37% (1/e) of its initial value. |
| Electrotonic Conduction | the passive spread of voltage changes along a neuron, dependent on length constant. |
| Voltage Clamp Technique | a technique that regulates membrane potential and makes it possible to determine the effect of Vm on the current due to different ions. |
| Reversal Potential | when the net force acting on an ion changes direction (obtained through a series of voltage clamps). |
| Action Potential | the activation signal evoked in a neuron when the Vm crosses a certain threshold. |
| Adaptation | an observed slowing of action potential frequency in a neuron (slow to open K channels). |
| Extracellular Recording | a recording that measures the local current flows outside of a cell. |
| Intracellular Recording | a recording of neuronal electrical activity that involves measuring the transmemrane changes in voltage. |
| Motor Neuron | send action potentials to muscle and activate the contractile proteins to produce a muscle contraction. |
| Electromyography (EMG) | an extracellualr technique used to record muscle fiber action potentials. |
| Interference EMG | the signal that represents the sum of the positive and negative muscle fiber action potential phases. |
| Cancellation | the loss of signal amplitude in an emg recording. |
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