Nervous system 6, Synapse

You can support Campbell Teaching for free if you use the link below to access Amazon! USA UK Thank you! Nerve cells get so close, but never actually are very small gaps between individual nerve cells and between motor neurones and muscles. These gaps are called synaptic gaps. The gap is a physical space and the electrical nerve impulse is unable to jump across. The synapses are necessary to limit the propagation of an impulse around the nervous system. If all of the neurones were directly physically interconnected then any one nerve impulse would be propagated around the whole nervous system resulting in gross over- activity (this would probably result in continuous convulsions). However, despite this need for electrical limitations, it is essential that nerve impulses can pass from one neurone to another when required. To allow this to happen the nerve fibre at one side of the synaptic gap releases a chemical called a chemical tran