refractory period
Definition
The refractory period is a brief interval following an action potential during which a neuron is unable to fire another action potential. This period ensures that action potentials travel along neurons in one direction and allows the neuron to reset before firing again.
Analogy
Think of the refractory period like a cooldown phase after sprinting as fast as you can. Just as you need a moment to catch your breath and recover before you can sprint at full speed again, a neuron needs a refractory period to prepare for the next action potential.
Related terms
Action Potential: A rapid rise and subsequent fall in voltage or membrane potential across a cellular membrane, allowing neurons to transmit signals.
Neuron: A nerve cell that transmits electrical and chemical signals in the body; the fundamental unit of the nervous system.
Membrane Potential: The difference in electric potential between the interior and the exterior of a biological cell, crucial for the transmission of nerve impulses
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