When the gill-withdrawal reflex of the sea snail Aplysia has been successfully conditioned to a stimulus such as a squirt of water from a WaterPik, observed changes in the neural circuit include:
A) an increase in the number of synapses.
B) a decrease in the number of synapses.
C) a decrease in the branching of neurons and in the amount of neurotransmitters released.
D) functional but not structural changes in the brain.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Conditioning the gill-withdrawal reflex of the sea snail Aplysia to a specific stimulus, such as a squirt of water, results in an increase in the number of synapses between sensory neurons and motor neurons. This is due to the strengthening of existing synapses and the formation of new ones, which leads to an increase in the efficiency of the neural circuit for that behavior.

When the Gill-Withdrawal Reflex of the Sea Snail Aplysia Has