Chapter 2

Jingying T.A.
Department of Physiology
E-mail: willa2004@yahoo.com
 review
 neuronal circuit
 review
 neurons and neuroglia consist of the nervous system.
 review
 neurons connect one with another at synapses, including
electrical synapses and chemical synapses.

electrical
synapses
chemical
synapses
 review
 Synaptic transmission of classical chemical synapses.
Depolarization of Opening of calcium Release of
presynaptic terminal ionic channel neurotransmitters

Combinding of trans-
mitter with receptors

Postsynaptic potential

EPSP IPSP
 review
 neurotransmitters and receptors

GABA: gamma aminobutyric acid

 neuronal circuit
neuronal pool: collection of neurons of similar function
cerebral cortex
sub-cerebral nuclei:
grey matter of the spinal cord
 neuronal circuit
 Neuronal organization in the pool :

terminals
output
Input
fibers
fiber
synapses
 neuronal circuit
 Divergence of signals:
less great numbers
 Two types:

divergence in same tract

divergence in multiple tracts

eg. Corticospinal pathway in

controlling the skeletal m.

eg. Fibers in dorsal column

 neuronal circuit
 convergence of signals:
signals from multiple sources
unit to excite a single neuron.

 Two types:
a single incoming fiber
multiple sources

eg. Interneuron of spinal cord

receives signals from peripheral nerve fiber
propriospinal fiber
corticospinal fiber
several other pathways from the brain
neuronal circuit
 neuronal circuit
 neuronal integration:
EPSP: excitement or facilitation
IPSP: inhibition
EPSP+IPSP: it depends

summation: spatial
temporal: simultaneously or in rapid succession
 neuronal circuit
neuronal circuit:
 neuronal circuit
 excitatory and inhibitory output signals resulted from
neuronal circuit.
An incoming signal an output excitatory signal
an inhibitory signal

eg reciprocal inhibition circuit

 neuronal circuit

and eg:
recurrent inhibition circuit
 neuronal circuit
 after-discharge resulted from neuronal circuit
prolongation of a signal by a neuronal pool.
* a signal entering a pool causes a prolonged output
discharge lasting for about milliseconds to many minutes.
 neuronal circuit
Mechanism:
Synaptic discharge:
Oscillatory circuit / reverberatory circuit
 neuronal circuit
 Results of reverberotary circuit:
rhythmical signal output:
eg. A rhythmical respiratory signal:
scratching movement of the hind leg of a dog
walking movement of an animal
 neuronal circuit
 Instability and stability of neuronal circuit
 neuronal circuit
Features of neuronal circuit:
 Single direction
 Synaptic delay: 0.3~0.5ms
 Summation: spatial and temporal
 Change of extitatory rhythm
 Likely to fatigue
 After-discharges
 neuronal circuit

spatial summation
 neuronal circuit

 Synaptic after-discharges