Final answer:
The nerve impulse is transmitted through neurons as an electrical action potential, involving a release of neurotransmitters at synapses, followed by the binding to the next neuron's dendrites.
Step-by-step explanation:
Pathway of the Nerve Impulse:
The pathway of a nerve impulse involves several steps to transmit signals through the nervous system. It begins when a neuron receives a chemical signal, triggering an action potential.
This electrical charge reversal is propagated down the neuron's axon to the axon terminal. At the terminal, neurotransmitters are released, crossing the synapse, the gap between neurons, to bind to the next neuron's dendrites, allowing the impulse to continue.
When myelinated axons are involved, the signal travels faster due to the insulating properties of the myelin sheath, regenerating at nodes of Ranvier.
The action potential is facilitated by the opening of sodium ion channels, which permits the influx of Na+ ions, followed by the efflux of K+ ions, restoring the resting potential.
This sequential ion movement creates a wave of electrical charge that communicates the nerve impulse along the neuron's membrane.