Which statement best describes how graded potentials determine whether an action potential will be generated or not?
A) when electrotonic conduction occurs within the soma of the neuron
B) when sodium enters the soma of a cell
C) when an excitatory depolarization reaches threshold
D) when the axon hillock is repolarized
E) when the neuron is hyperpolarized

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Graded potentials are local changes in membrane potential that occur in the dendrites and cell body of a neuron. When these graded potentials are excitatory and strong enough to depolarize the membrane to a certain threshold level, an action potential is triggered. This typically occurs at the axon hillock, where the decision to fire an action potential is made based on the sum of all incoming excitatory and inhibitory signals.

Which Statement Best Describes How Graded Potentials Determine Whether an Action