PHGY 209 Lecture Notes - Lecture 28: Receptive Field, Central Nervous System, Lateral Inhibition

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The region in space that activates a sensory receptor or neuron (afferent) If the center of the neuron or receptive field is activated, the largest number of spikes (action potentials) will be fired. Receptive fields overlap; therefore, if you stimulate the center of one receptive field, you are overlapping the edges of another. This lets the brain know exactly where the stimulation is occurring. Ability to differentiate one stimulus from another: related to receptive field size; the smaller the rf = higher acuity. If we poke someone with two points, the acuity refers to individual"s ability to determine whether there are two or one points on their skin, as the points get closer together. The foveal receptive fields have the highest acuity; more detailed vision. The peripheral receptive fields have less acuity; much larger. Lateral inhibition (bottom up modulation) sharpens sensory acuity. If the center of one rf is stimulated the edges of other afferents are stimulated.

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