Type of summation that occurs when several subthreshold stimuli from the same axon are repeated?

Type of summation that occurs when several subthreshold stimuli from the same axon are repeated?

• A. Temporal summation
• B. Spatial summation
• C. Epsilon summation
• D. Graded summation

Answer: (A)

Temporal summation is the idea that successive subthreshold postsynaptic potentials arriving from the same axon in rapid succession add up in time. Each input alone doesn’t push the membrane to threshold, but because the neuron's membrane has a finite time constant, the depolarizations overlap and accumulate. If the stimuli come quickly enough, the combined effect reaches threshold and an action potential is fired. This contrasts with spatial summation, where inputs from different locations occur together in time and add across space. The other terms aren’t used to describe this specific time-based buildup from repeated stimuli on the same axon.

Temporal summation is the idea that successive subthreshold postsynaptic potentials arriving from the same axon in rapid succession add up in time. Each input alone doesn’t push the membrane to threshold, but because the neuron's membrane has a finite time constant, the depolarizations overlap and accumulate. If the stimuli come quickly enough, the combined effect reaches threshold and an action potential is fired. This contrasts with spatial summation, where inputs from different locations occur together in time and add across space. The other terms aren’t used to describe this specific time-based buildup from repeated stimuli on the same axon.