Computational methods Flashcards
Physiological measure of sensation and perception
Start with stimulus and look at where it is processed
Computational (psychophysics) measure of sensation and perception
Mathematical transformation of the physical stimulus (ex. Fechner’s law)
Transduction
The stimulus is transduced into an electrical signal : the physical stimulus interacts with a specific receptor/transducer located on a peripheral sensory neuron and causes the neuron to fire
Action potential
Rapid, temporary electrical signal that travels along the membrane of a neuron or muscle cell.
Action potential occurs when there is enough ______ that get activated
Transducers
As you present a stimulus, the neuron will increase the frequency of its firing rate corresponding with the ______ of the stimulus.
Intensity
Once the physical intensity of the stimulus has been encoded into the _____ ____of a certain neuron, we can say that the physical stimulus has been transduced or encoded.
Firing rate
Following transduction, nerve impulses will travel along the axon of the sensory neuron and enter the …
Central nervous system (CNS)
Almost all sensory neurons have their cell bodies located in the periphery with their ____ projecting into the CNS, except the retina and optic nerve, which are considered part of the CNS.
Axon
For most of our senses, the sensory neurons are located in the head, and they enter the CNS through their respective pair of _____ nerves
Cranial
Cranial nerves can be either _____, _____, or both.
Sensory, motor
Tactile information coming from the body reaches the CNS through peripheral somatic nerves entering the …
Spinal cord in between each of our vertebra
Signal transmission from one neuron to another occurs at the ______.
Synapse
A synase is where the _____ ______ of a presynaptic neuron is close to the ______ of the postsynaptic neuron.
Axon terminal of presynaptic neuron, dendrite of postsynaptic neuron
When an _____ ______ reaches the end of a neuron (the presynaptic terminal), it triggers the release of neurotransmitters.
Action potential
The ________ bind to receptors on the postsynaptic neuron, causing changes in its membrane potential (excitation or inhibition)
neurotransmitters
Transmission
When there is excitation or inhibition of the postsynaptic neuron
If the signal is strong enough, it generates a new action potential in the postsynaptic neuron, continuing the ________.
Transmission
First relay in the brain for most senses
Thalamus
The thalamus is organized into different _____
nuclei
Main function of nuclei
Send information from the outside to the right part of the cortex
Modulation during transmission
The brain can increase or decrease the signal it is receiving from peripheral sensory neurons. The thalamus is a site of modulation.
Perception
When sensory signals reach the cortex
Primary sensory cortices
First place where sensory information is being relayed, where conscious perception emerges