The buildup of depolarization when EPSPs arrive in rapid succession is called ________ summation.
A)threshold
B)spatial
C)temporal
D)chemical
E)electrical

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The buildup of depolarization caused by the successive arrival of EPSPs is called temporal summation. This occurs when the summed effects of postsynaptic potentials, occurring at different times but converging on the same neuron, combine to reach the threshold for an action potential. This is in contrast to spatial summation, which occurs when EPSPs from multiple synapses simultaneously converge on a neuron, and the sum of their effects reaches the threshold for an action potential. Threshold, chemical, and electrical summation are not relevant terms to describe this process.

The Buildup of Depolarization When EPSPs Arrive in Rapid Succession