What describes the process by which an action potential travels down the axon, resulting in the release of neurotransmitters?

The process by which an action potential travels down the axon is best described by the term "neural transmission." This term encompasses the entire sequence of events that occur when a neuron communicates with another neuron or target cell. It includes the generation and propagation of action potentials along the axon, leading to the release of neurotransmitters at the axon terminals.

Neural transmission begins with the depolarization of the neuron's membrane, creating an action potential that moves along the axon due to the opening and closing of ion channels. When the action potential reaches the axon terminals, it triggers the influx of calcium ions, which in turn causes vesicles filled with neurotransmitters to fuse with the presynaptic membrane and release their contents into the synaptic cleft. This entire sequence—from the generation of the action potential to the release of neurotransmitters—is captured under the broad umbrella of neural transmission.

The other terms listed refer to more specific aspects of the communication process. Synaptic transmission refers specifically to the transfer of signals across the synapse, while action potential generation focuses exclusively on the creation of the action potential rather than its propagation along the axon. Neurochemical release, on the other hand, highlights only the step where neurotransmit