The nervous system encodes greater intensity of a given stimulus by
A) forming action potentials with higher peaks.
B) forming action potentials that last a longer time.
C) increasing the rate of firing.
D) reducing the number of neurons that are responding.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Increasing the rate of firing is the most common way that the nervous system encodes greater intensity of a given stimulus. When the intensity of a stimulus is high, neurons may fire more frequently, producing a higher frequency of action potentials. This increase in firing rate can be detected by downstream neurons, which can interpret the frequency of firing as an indicator of the intensity of the stimulus.

The Nervous System Encodes Greater Intensity of a Given Stimulus