Interactive Physiology CD-ROM

Topic 1: Anatomy Review: Synapsis. This topic begins by describing and illustrating the properties and purpose of synapses. Students observe how neuronal stimulation from the somatic and autonomic nervous systems affect different types of muscles. The actions of inhibition and excitation are demonstrated. Students learn the features of different types of synapses, and electrical and chemical synapses are described. The topic concludes by illustrating the presynaptic and postsynaptic components of the chemical synapse. Topic 2: Chemically Gated Ion Channels. Provides an overview and demonstration of the properties of passive and active ion channels. Explains and illustrates the principles of directly-acting neurotransmitters, and students learn which ions are involved in generating rapid excitatory or inhibitory postsynaptic potentials. Goes on to explain how neurotransmitters can act indirectly on ion channels via second messengers to produce slow excitatory or inhibitory postsynaptic potentials. Topic 3: Synaptic Transmission. Illustrates synaptic transmission and outcome step by step, illustrating neurotransmitter release, diffusion, binding, and termination. Students learn that the effect of a neurotransmitter depends upon receptor type, and they see how Ach affects nicotonic and muscarinic receptors in the central and autonomic nervous systems. The excitatory effect of glutamate, and the inhibitory effects of GABA and glycine, are demonstrated. Illustrations of different behaviors demonstrate the outcomes of directly-acting and indirectly-acting neurotransmitters on synaptic activity. Topic 4: Synaptic Potentials and Cellular Integration. This topic begins by reviewing the properties of the action potential. The differences in characteristics between action potentials and synaptic potentials are demonstrated by graphing their impulses. The summation of synaptic potentials is explained, and examples of temporal and spatial summation are illustrated. The effect of combining inhibitory and excitatory postsynaptic potentials is demonstrated, and the topic concludes with an explanation and behavioral example of cellular integration.