A nerve impulse is a wave of electrical activity that travels along the length of a nerve cell. It is generated by the movement of ions across the nerve cell membrane and is the main method of communication between nerve cells. The nerve impulse begins when a stimulus, such as a touch or a sound, activates an area of the nerve cell known as the axon. This causes an electrical potential to build up at the axon hillock, the beginning of the axon. When the potential reaches a certain threshold, an action potential is generated and an impulse is sent down the axon. At each node of Ranvier, the impulse triggers the release of neurotransmitters, which then bind to receptors on other nerve cells. This in turn triggers a new nerve impulse in the receiving cell. In this way, the impulse is transmitted from one nerve cell to the next.
axon,
electrical potential ,
neurotransmitters