facilitation

facilitation /fa·cil·i·ta·tion/ (fah-sil″ĭ-ta´shun) [L.]

1. hastening or assistance of a natural process.

2. in neurophysiology, the effect of a nerve impulse acting across a synapse and resulting in increased postsynaptic potential of subsequent impulses in that nerve fiber or in other convergent nerve fibers.

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fa·cil·i·ta·tion (f-sl-tshn)

n.

The enhancement or reinforcement of a reflex or other nerve activity by the arrival of other excitatory impulses at the reflex center.

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facilitation

[fəsil′itā′shən]

Etymology: L, facilitas, easiness

1 the enhancement or reinforcement of any action or function so that it can be performed more easily. Compare inhibition.

2 (in neurology) the phenomenon whereby two or more afferent impulses that individually are not strong enough to elicit a response in a neuron can collectively produce a reflex discharge greater than the sum of the separate responses. See also summation.

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facilitation (f·siˈ·l·tāˑ·shn),

n an automatic, impulsive stimulation of a particular muscle to contract.

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facilitation

(fsiltā´shn),
n the reinforcement of a lower level nerve stimulus by a higher level nerve stimulus. Thus a reflex that cannot be elicited by a subliminal impulse may be reinforced by an additional stimulus from a higher center. The combined effect of the two stimuli may cause a reflex response.

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facilitation

hastening or assistance of a natural process; the increased excitability of a neuron after stimulation by a subthreshold presynaptic impulse. The resistance is diminished so that second application of the stimulus evokes the reaction more easily.