Overview, Course Intro, Some eye stuff. The Neuron

Question 1

what is the difference between neurons and other cells?

Answer 1

Neurons have an excitable membrane.

Question 2

Circuit neurons

Answer 2

can be excitatory or inhibitory, but never both

Question 3

What is it called, when the cells are organized in layers?

Answer 3

laminar organization

Question 4

The retina has laminar organization, how are the cells organized?

Answer 4

1. Ganglion cell layer
   - cell bodies of ganglion (RGG)
2. Inner Nuclear cell layer
   - bipolar cells
   - horizontal cells
   - amacrine cells
3. Outer Layer
   - photoreceptors

Question 5

Divergence vs Convergence

Answer 5

Divergence is when one neuron splits, and synapses onto two other neurons.

Convergence is when two neurons synapse onto one neuron.

Question 6

Light

Answer 6

electromagnetic energy emitted in the form of waves

Question 7

What do photoreceptors do?

Answer 7

convert light energy into neural activity.

Question 8

What is the Lateral Geniculate Nucleus (LGN) ?

Answer 8

It is located in the thalamus.

It is the first synaptic relay in the visual perception pathway.

Question 9

What is the “visual field”?

Answer 9

the total amount of space that could be viewed by the retina when the eyes are fixated straight ahead.

Question 10

what is “visual acuity” ?

Answer 10

ability of the eye to distinguish two points near each other.

Question 11

What is the pathway for visual information to exit the eye and go into brain for processing?

Answer 11

Photoreceptors–> bipolar cells –> ganglion cells

The photoreceptors respond to light, and then they influence the membrane potential of bipolar cells connected to them.

The ganglion cells then fire action potentials in response to light and these impulses propagate along the optic nerve to the rest of the brain.