Outline the process of synaptic transmission (8)

The process of synaptic transmission is when electrical nerve impulses, known as action potentials, travel from the dendrites of the cell (the receptor site) to the axon terminal. When these action potentials reach the axon terminal, neurotransmitters are fired across the synaptic gap and onto the post-synaptic receptors of the following neuron. This triggers an electrical impulse that is either excitatory or inhibitory. Excitatory neurons, for example dopamine or serotonin, trigger a positive change and make nerve endings more likely to fire. On the other hand, inhibtory neurons trigger a negative change and make the nerve ending less likely to fire.