Bio Notes Synapse

4.
2 CHOLINERGIC SYNAPSE
Objectives
By the end of the subtopic, learners should be able to:
1. Describe the structure and function of a cholinergic synapse.

2. Explain the effects of analgesic drugs on the nervous system.
The synapse
 A synapse is a junction between neurones.

 The neurons do not physically touch.
 Synapses consist of a swelling called a synaptic knob of the axon of one neurone
(presynaptic neurone) and the dendrite or cell body of another neuron (post synaptic
neuron).
 A synaptic cleft does not allow an action potential to cross it.
 Transmission only occurs by particular chemicals known as transmitter substances.
 These are small and diffusible molecules and are produced in the Golgi apparatus in the
synaptic knob and held in tiny vesicles before use.
 Acetylcholine (Ach) is a common transmitter substance.
 Cells releasing acetylcholine are known as cholinergic neurones.
 Another common neurotransmitter substance is noradrenaline (released by adrenergic
neurones)
 Synapses are usually found between the fine branches at the end of the axon of one
neurone and the dendrites or cell body of another neuron.
 The number of neurones is usually very large, (over 1000 synapses on dendrites and cell
bodies of a single motor neuron), providing a large surface area for the transfer of
information.
Structure of the synapse
 The structure of the synapse is shown in fig.12.2.1

 It is made up of a swelling at the end of a nerve fibre called a synaptic knob that is found
close to the membrane of a dendrite.
 The synaptic knob has cytoplasm containing small synaptic vesicles in which the
neurotransmitter is kept and numerous mitochondria for energy production.
 The neurotransmitter is responsible for the transmission of impulses across the synapse.
 The membrane near the synapse is thick and known as the presynaptic membrane
whereas the membrane of the dendrite is called the postsynaptic membrane.
 Between the two is a gap of about 20nm called a synaptic cleft.
 The presynaptic membrane is adapted to for the attachment of synaptic vesicles and the
release of the neurotransmitter substance into the synaptic cleft.
 The postsynaptic membrane has:
1. protein molecules which are the receptor sites for the transmitter substances;
2. channels to allow the movement of ions into the postsynaptic neurone and;
3. pores for the movement of ions into the postsynaptic neurone.
 The transmission of nerve impulses across the synaptic cleft is triggered by the release of
calcium ions and an account of the events is given in the next section.
Steps to synapse transmission
Though the events during synapse transmission are continuous, they are described in steps
in this section. Refer to fig 12.2.1.
1. Arrival of the action potential

o An action potential arrives at the synaptic knob and depolarises the presynaptic
membrane causing calcium channels to open, increasing the permeability of the
membrane to calcium Ca2+ions channels in pre-synaptic membrane.
o Calcium ions then flow in from the synaptic cleft.
2. Release of neurotransmitter
o The calcium ions cause vesicles of transmitter substance to fuse with the pre-
synaptic membrane and they release a transmitter substance into the synaptic cleft
(exocytosis).
3. Diffusion of neurotransmitter across the cleft

o The transmitter substance diffuses across the synaptic cleft (creating a delay of about
0.5ms) and binds to a specific receptor protein (site) on the post-synaptic
membrane.
o In the post-synaptic membrane there are specific receptor sites for each transmitter
substance.
o The attachment of a transmitter molecule to its receptor on the post-synaptic
membrane instantly causes a change in the shape of the receptor site and opens the
ion channel.
o When a molecule of the transmitter substance attaches to its receptorsite, sodium
ion channels open.
o As the sodium ions rush into the cytoplasm of the post-synaptic neurone,
depolarisation of the post-synaptic membrane occurs.
o As more and more molecules of the transmitter substance bind, an action potential
is generated in the post-synaptic neurone
4. Inactivation of neurotransmitter.
o The transmitter substance on the receptor is quickly inactivated once it causes
depolarisation.
o The usual transmitter substance is acetylcholine which is hydrolysed to choline and
ethanoic acid by the enzyme cholinesterase also called acetylcholinesterase (AChE).
o After this reaction, the ion channel of the receptor protein close and this allows the
resting potential in the post-synaptic neurone to be re-established.
5. Recycling of neurotransmitter
o In the meantime, the inactivated products of the transmitter re-enter the
presynaptic knob, are resynthesised into transmitter substance and packaged for
reuse.
Functions of synapses
Synapses have an overall effect of slowing down nerve impulses by about 0.5ms per
synapse… they have several functions stated below.
1. Amplification.Each nerve impulse produces sufficient acetylcholine at the

neuromuscular junction to produce a response in the muscle fibre.
2. Adaptation and fatigue. The supply of transmitter substance constantly drops in
response to constant stimuli eventually depleting the transmitter substance (making the
synapse fatigued). Fatigue prevents damage to an effector through overstimulation.
3. Unidirectionality. Nerve impulses can only pass in one direction since transmitter
substance released by presynaptic membrane is received on the receptor sites only
found on the postsynaptic membrane.
4. Integration, convergence and special summation. The postsynaptic neurone has the
ability to summate (add up) all stimuli from all the presynaptic neurones to enable
integration of all the stimuli and production of a coordinated response
5. Facilitation. The synapse is left more sensitive to stimuli by stimulus leaving.
6. Discrimination and temporal summation. They filter out low level stimuli of limited
importance.
7. They facilitate flexibility of response by the CNS, particularly the brain.
Effects of analgesics on the nervous system
 Analgesics are drugs that prevent and kill pain.

 Their primary purpose is to relieve pain.
 They act in various ways on the peripheral and central nervous systems.
 Analgesics include paracetamol, the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
such as the salicylates, and opioid drugs such as morphine and oxycodone.
 The two main types of analgesics are mild and strong.
 Mild analgesics, such as aspirin, intercept the feeling of pain at the source and often
alter the production of those substances that cause the pain in the body.
 Strong analgesics such as opium and its derivatives block the transmission of pain to the
brain, by temporarily binding to the receptor sites.
 The pain of feeling is not felt in one who has taken strong analgesic tablets.
 The CNS is not depressed since the pain of feeling never reaches the brain.
 The common strong analgesics are the opioids, which include opium, heroin and
morphine.

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4.

By the end of the subtopic, learners should be able to:

1. Describe the structure and function of a cholinergic synapse.

 A synapse is a junction between neurones.

Structure of the synapse

 The structure of the synapse is shown in fig.12.2.1

Steps to synapse transmission

1. Arrival of the action potential

3. Diffusion of neurotransmitter across the cleft

1. Amplification.Each nerve impulse produces sufficient acetylcholine at the

Effects of analgesics on the nervous system

 Analgesics are drugs that prevent and kill pain.

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