After Debbie's car accident,as the doctor asked her if it hurt here or if it hurt when he pressed this hard,Debbie understood why she could tell the differences in amount of pressure the doctor used;her sensory neurons coded the different pressures via:
A)Different magnitude action potentials
B)Differences in threshold
C)Different neurotransmitters
D)Different rates of firing in neurons

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The sensory neurons code the different pressures by firing at different rates. This is known as the frequency coding theory of sensory perception. As the pressure increases, the neurons fire at a higher rate, leading to a perception of increased pressure. Therefore, option D, different rates of firing in neurons, is the best choice. Option A (different magnitude action potentials) is incorrect because the action potential remains the same regardless of the pressure applied. Option B (differences in threshold) is incorrect because the threshold refers to the minimum level of stimulus required to activate a neuron, not the different amounts of pressure that can be perceived. Option C (different neurotransmitters) is also incorrect because the type of neurotransmitter released by a neuron does not change with changes in pressure.

After Debbie's Car Accident,as the Doctor Asked Her If It