[Campbell Biology P.1161] Consider the 'WHAT IF?' scenario: If a sensory neuron, which normal... | Practice Question

Consider the 'WHAT IF?' scenario: If a sensory neuron, which normally transmits signals for the perception of touch, is stimulated electrically in isolation i.e., without any actual tactile stimulus , how would this stimulation most likely be perceived by the brain?

  • A: The brain would perceive it as a painful sensation, regardless of the neuron's normal function.
  • B: The brain would perceive a sensation of touch, as sensory neurons are specialized to convey specific sensory modalities.
  • C: The brain would register no specific sensation, as there is no actual external stimulus to interpret.
  • D: The brain would interpret it as a visual sensation due to the electrical nature of the stimulus.

Explanation

This scenario relates to the 'law of specific nerve energies,' which states that the brain interprets the origin of a sensory signal based on the specific neural pathway that is activated, regardless of how that pathway was stimulated. If a touch neuron is activated, the brain's somatosensory cortex will interpret that signal as touch.