The electrical impulse travels from the dendrite to the cell body and then along the axon. At the end of the axon, the impulse triggers the release of chemicals, which cross the synapse and initiate a similar electrical impulse in the dendrite of the next neuron.
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Once an electrical impulse is generated in a nerve cell, it undergoes a sequence of events to transmit information. Initiated by a stimulus, the nerve cell experiences depolarization as positively charged ions flow into the cell, creating an action potential. This electrical impulse then travels along the neuron’s axon through a process called propagation, maintaining its strength and speed. As it reaches the axon terminals, located at the end of the neuron, the electrical impulse triggers the release of neurotransmitters into the synapse. These neurotransmitters cross the synaptic cleft, binding to receptors on the membrane of the target cell (such as a muscle or gland). This interaction converts the electrical signal into a chemical one, transmitting the information to the target cell and eliciting a specific response. This process of synaptic transmission ensures the communication of signals within the nervous system, facilitating coordinated actions and responses throughout the body.