Differences Between Temporal and Spatial Summation

Whenever we do any muscle movement, it releases thousands of electric impulses to the brain. Every impulse is passed on to the next impulse via delicate sodium and potassium balance. Which utilizes synapses between the nerves.

It is a complex process to carry the information in the accurate order, and it takes a fraction of a second to complete it. Our nervous system is the combination of the brain and the spinal cord. The remaining part comes under the peripheral nervous system.

The information exchange happens with the help of electric response through the neurons. That point is known as an action potential when sufficient impulses are generated to take action.

You can understand the entire process here.

A mosquito bites your hand, which creates stimuli. The nervous system sends signals in the form of electric impulses. That lets you raise your hand and scratch the skin, which is called a response. Stimuli is the signal or graded response is sent to the brain about the tickling of a mosquito. The signal sent by the brain to initiate the action in the response.

Differences Between Temporal vs Spatial Summation

Temporal Summation

It’s a sensory summation id creates a single stimulus for a short period.

The single presynaptic neuron creates the action potential.

The super threshold is generated by one postsynaptic cell or neuron over a certain period of time.

Temporal summation is a less efficient process because it takes time for action potential generation.

Spatial Summation

It involves multiple stimulations due to various spatially separated neurons.

The multiple presynaptic neurons generate the action potential.

The multiple presynaptic neurons generate super threshold values.

Spatial summation is an efficient process.