Information processing in sensory neuron, Biology

Assignment Help:

Information Processing in Sensory Neuron

You have previously seen that the sensory neuron transmits the information it receives, as an action potential along its axon. We describe them an impulse. The intensity of the stimulus is transmitted along the nerve fibre through changing frequency. A stimulus of greater intensity will result in greater frequency of firing along the axon, one of lower intensity will comprise lower frequency. Let us see what happens when one of the first pair of legs of a cockroach is touched. Stimulation of the mechanoreceptors of the first leg of a cockroach by touch will be perform by the axon to neurons in the first thoracic ganglion where it makes connection, in simplest case, through synapse, along with a motor neuron directly. In more complicated cases, the motor neuron may be informed by one or more association neurons. These neurons may be receiving at similar time a number of other stimuli from a large number of presynaptic fibres. Some of them might be excitatory and some of them may be inhibitory, So carrying opposing instructions.

This type of connection also enables higher centers of the central nervous system to exert control over the action, so that, if unsuitable, it can withhold from exercising the reflex, like running away. Thus the postsynaptic cell receiving frequently contradictory messages, decides whether to fire or not, on the basis of all the instructions it receives. In case the neuron 'decides' to fire, the stimulus can result in the release of neurotransmitter at its terminals making the concerned muscle to contract, causing movement of the leg and the animal run away. This type of receptor-effector loop is the lowest level of information processing via central nervous system and is called a reflex. In lower animals this constitutes their whole behavior. However, in higher animals particularly in those like cephalopods and insects, with a well developed central nervous system, varying degrees of higher levels of control are exerted on the reflexes along with increasing hierarchy of the central nervous system exerting its influence. These animals comprise larger and complex type of brains by invertebrate standards; their large eyes and other sense organs feed a range of stimuli into the brain. There are various motor centres in the central nervous system finally controlling activities through various motor centres. We must not forget that most animals have as well the capacity of learning. Learning provides the animal with a record of information on which it can draw and act. The memory gives this information and the central nervous system can select the motor activity best suited for the animal's life.


Related Discussions:- Information processing in sensory neuron

Physical map, Physical map is the map of locations of the identifiable lan...

Physical map is the map of locations of the identifiable landmarks on DNA (for example restriction of the enzyme cutting sites, genes), regardless of their inheritance. Distance i

Light and dark reactions, Evidence for Existence of Light and Dark Reaction...

Evidence for Existence of Light and Dark Reactions The process of photosynthesis was known in its bare outline already at the beginning of this century. But the phenomenon wa

Evaporative cooling, Normal 0 false false false EN-IN ...

Normal 0 false false false EN-IN X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4

Fixation and movement to echinoderms, Q What is the system that permits fix...

Q What is the system that permits fixation and movement to echinoderms? The system that permits fixation and movement to substrates in echinoderms is called the ambulacral syst

Dormant vegetative structures, Dormant Vegetative Structures You have ...

Dormant Vegetative Structures You have learnt that light a period of chilling or application of gibberellin often breaks seed dormancy and stimulates seed germination. Vegetat

Digestive system in the phylum arthropoda, Q. What is the kind of digestive...

Q. What is the kind of digestive system present in beings of the phylum Arthropoda? Are these animals deuterostomes or protostomes? The digestive tube of arthropods is complete

Hemocytometer, A device called a hemocytometer is often used to estimate th...

A device called a hemocytometer is often used to estimate the number of cells in a culture. Cells are suspended in fluid. A small volume of the fluid is placed into a special chamb

Balloon aortic valvuloplasty for aortic stenosis, Q. Balloon Aortic Valvulo...

Q. Balloon Aortic Valvuloplasty for aortic stenosis? This is the procedure of choice in children and young individuals where the valve is not calcified. In elderly patients wit

Show extraembryonic membranes present in vertebrates, Q. What are the extra...

Q. What are the extraembryonic membranes present in vertebrates? The extraembryonic membranes that may be present in vertebrates are the yolk sac, the amnion, the placenta, the

Characteristics of lake ecosystems, Characteristics of Lake Ecosystems ...

Characteristics of Lake Ecosystems The environment of static waters of lakes and ponds sharply contrasts with those of lotic ecosystems. Light penetration in lakes is usually

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd