תפקידם של תעלות יונים בחישוב נוירונלי

A neuron's somatodendritic region can receive excitatory and inhibitory inputs from other neurons. All these EPSPs and IPSPs are summed at the axon hillock, and a decision is made whether to pass on the information to the next neuron.

This neuronal computation is aided by several voltage-gated channels present in the axon hillock and other neuron regions.

If the summation of postsynaptic signals fails to depolarize the membrane above the threshold, an action potential is not initiated. If the EPSP stimulation is above the threshold, voltage-gated sodium channels at the axon hillock depolarize the membrane to trigger the action potential.

For continued firing, delayed potassium channels repolarize the membrane, allowing another round of depolarization.

Additionally, rapidly inactivating potassium channels maintain the intensity and frequency of firing proportional to the strength of depolarization.

Through saltatory conduction, the signal moves along the axon and is finally transmitted  to the next neuron.