Does the size of an action potential change?
Posted July 3, 2024
Answer
No, the size of an action potential does not change regardless of the strength of the stimulus. An action potential is an all-or-nothing event. It either happens or it doesn’t. Once the threshold is reached, the action potential will occur and when it does, it propagates along the nerve fiber without weakening or reducing its length and amplitude. This is regardless of the strength of the stimulus.
Additional resources
Influence of low and high frequency inputs on spike timing in visual cortical neurons
Cell/Cytoplasmic Membrane Potential Activity & Analysis
Screen Quest™ Membrane Potential Assay Kit *Red Fluorescence*