Final answer:
The release of inhibitory neurotransmitters like GABA results in IPSPs which hyperpolarize the neuron making it less likely to fire an action potential. Disinhibition in neural circuits allows for increased activity of neurons downstream in the pathway.
Step-by-step explanation:
The cell activity in question involves the release of an inhibitory neurotransmitter (NT) that affects cells orthogonal to an informational pathway. When the neurotransmitter GABA is released from a presynaptic neuron, it binds to receptors that open Cl- channels, causing an influx of Cl- ions into the cell. This influx results in hyperpolarization, referred to as an inhibitory postsynaptic potential (IPSP), making the neuron less likely to fire an action potential.
Furthermore, this mechanism contributes to a process known as disinhibition, which is notably seen within the basal nuclei or basal ganglia of the brain. Disinhibition involves the reduced activity of one neuron, allowing another neuron in the circuit to become more active. This usually involves a disynaptic connection where the first synapse inhibits a second cell which, in turn, ceases its inhibition on a final target, effectively allowing the last neuron to be more active.