Throughout history, people have compared the brain to different inventions. In t
ID: 3480934 • Letter: T
Question
Throughout history, people have compared the brain to different inventions. In the past, the brain has been said to be like a water clock and a telephone switchboard. These days, the favorite invention that the brain is compared to is a computer. Some people use this comparison to say that the computer is better than the brain; some people say that the comparison shows that the brain is better than the computer. Perhaps, it is best to say that the brain is better at doing some jobs and the computer is better at doing other jobs. 1. What are 3 essential differences between human brains and the central processing unit of a computer? 2. Describe three examples in which the central nervous system employs autonomic nerve pathways. 3. Trace a sympathetic nerve pathway through a ganglion to an effector.Explanation / Answer
Answer 1:- Three essential differneces between the between human brains and the central processsing unit of a computer:-
1. Brain are analogus but computers are digital.
2. The brain uses content-addressable memory: In computers, information in memory is accessed by polling its precise memory address. This is known as byte-addressable memory. In contrast, the brain uses content-addressable memory, such that information can be accessed in memory through “spreading activation” from closely related concepts.
3. The brain is a massively parallel machine; computers are modular and serial:- An unfortunate legacy of the brain-computer metaphor is the tendency for cognitive psychologists to seek out modularity in the brain.
4. Processing speed is not fixed in the brain; there is no system clock.
5. No hardware/software distinction can be made with respect to the brain or mind.
Answer 2 :- Three examples in which the central nervious system employs automonic nerve pathway:- There is now abundant functional and anatomical evidence that autonomic motor pathways represent a highly organized output of the central nervous system. Simplistic notions of antagonistic all-or-none activation of sympathetic or parasympathetic pathways are clearly wrong. Sympathetic or parasympathetic pathways to specific target tissues generally can be activated tonically or phasically, depending on current physiological requirements. For example, at rest, many sympathetic pathways are tonically active, such as those limiting blood flow to the skin, inhibiting gastrointestinal tract motility and secretion, or allowing continence in the urinary bladder. Phasic parasympathetic activity can be seen in lacrimation, salivation or urination. Activity in autonomic motor pathways can be modulated by diverse sensory inputs, including the visual, auditory and vestibular systems, in addition to various functional populations of visceral afferents. Identifying the central pathways responsible for coordinated autonomic activity has made considerable progress, but much more needs to be done.
Answer 3:- Trace a sympathetic nerve pathway through a ganglion to an effector:-The pathway begins with the neuron in the lateral horn of the spinal cord. Its preganglionic fiber exits through the ventral roots of spinal nerves. It branches off in segments called white rami and enters the paravertebral ganglia (forming sympathetic trunks). Some fibers synapse with these ganglia while others pass through to other paravertebral ganglia or on to, or beyond, the collateral ganglia. The postganglionic fibers extend out to the visceral effectors. The fibers leaving the paravertebral ganglia usually pass through gray rami and return to a spinal nerve before synapsing with an effector.
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