How are presynaptic burst firing signals transmitted post-synaptically? Neurons can exhibit burst firing and this presynaptic process basically results in a flurry of action potentials being fired in a short time window. I'm, however, wondering how these signals are further relayed once they synapse onto other neurons? Specifically, **does each action potential in the burst volley generate another post-synaptic action potential, or is the bursting somehow averaged to then transmit either one or no action potential post-synaptically depending on long the burst train was**?

**Short answer**
It depends.

**Background**
It all depends on the neuronal circuit and neurotransmitter system under investigation. For example, raphe neurons release 5-HT in a burst-like fashion onto cortical dendrites. However, the postsynaptic effect is inhibitory, so no action potentials there (Gartside, 2000).

Intracortical recordings in the rat have shown that each action potential in a burst resulted in neurotransmitter (glutamate) release and subsequent excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) and potentials (EPSPs) (Williams & Stuart, 1999). So that would positively answer your question, at least in this specific neuronal circuit.

**Reference**
**-** Gartside, _Neurosci_ (2000); **98** (2): 295-300
**-** Williams & Stuart, _J Physiol_ (1999); **521** (2): 467–82