Temporal summation may occur at the neuromuscular junction because
A) action potentials last longer than muscle contractions.
B) muscle contractions last longer than action potentials.
C) many motor neurons form synapses at a single neuromuscular junction.
D) ACh is broken down slowly in the synaptic gap.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Temporal summation occurs when multiple action potentials arrive at a neuromuscular junction in quick succession, causing the muscle contractions to summate and produce a stronger contraction. This is possible because muscle contractions last longer than the action potentials that trigger them, allowing the effects of successive action potentials to build up or summate before the muscle has fully relaxed from the first contraction.

Temporal Summation May Occur at the Neuromuscular Junction Because