PSYC 317 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Radioactive Tracer, Cerebral Cortex, Biological Motion
20 Aug 2016
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Document Summary
Chapter 2 - cognition and the brain building blocks of the nervous system. Specialized cells that store, receive, and transmit info. Receptors transform energy from environment into electrical energy. Electrical energy represents environment within the nervous system. Information travels down the axon of neurons to the dendrites of another neuron action potential. Measured with microelectrodes positioned in the axon. Inside of neuron becomes more positive within 1 ms. Once a signal is generated at one end of the axon, it travels to the other end without decreasing in size. Signals can travel over long distances because individual neurons are linked together. Excitatory connections increase the chance of firing. Inhibitory connections decrease the chance of firing basic principles of neural circuits. Convergence-many neurons send signals to a single neuron. Interaction of excitation and inhibition at a synapse neurons respond best to specific stimuli. Highest firing rate for stimuli the neuron is sensitive to.
