ACTION POTENTIAL

OR
NERVE IMPULSE
ACTION POTENTIAL OR NERVE IMPULSE

• A nerve impulses is a wave like electrical

signals that travel along with the plasma
membrane.
• All living cells including neurons maintain a
difference in concentration of ions across
there membrane.
• It is specifically involve sodium and
potassium ions.
conti..

• They move IN and OUT of the cell through

sodium and potassium channels & sodium
potassium pump.
IMPULSE GENERATION AND CONDUCTION

• A nerve impulse generated when the

stimulus is strong.
• When a stimulus triggers, the electrical and
chemical changes occur in the neuron &
there is change in the permeability of the cell
membrane.
•

conti..

• A series of event occur, where the potassium

ions flow back into the cell and sodium ions
move out of the cell. This whole process
results in the cell get polarized.
• On the other hand, when the potassium ions
flow outside & sodium ions flow inside. Then
the cell is now get depolarized. This
depolarization results in action potential
which causes the nerve impulses to move
along the length of axons.
conti..

• When nerve impulses reaches the end of the

axon there are some chemicals released by
neurotransmitters (these are the
chemicals messengers which
transmits signals to another target
neuron, muscles or gland cells)
• Once the peak of action potential reached.
• The membrane potential start moving
towards resting potential called as Re-
Polarization.