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Networks of neurons interact to support the complex functioning of an organism - VCE - SSCE Biology - Question 5 - 2007 - Paper 1
Question 5
Networks of neurons interact to support the complex functioning of an organism. Some signals from neurons activate processes. Other signals inhibit processes. Activa... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Networks of neurons interact to support the complex functioning of an organism - VCE - SSCE Biology - Question 5 - 2007 - Paper 1
Step 1
If neurons J, K, L and M were activated at the same time, you would expect neuron N to activate the muscle fibre in network:
Answer
To determine if neuron N is activated, we analyze the signals coming from neurons J, K, L, and M. Each of these neurons has both activation and inhibition signals.
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Assessing Neurons: Neurons J, K, L, and M all contribute activation signals represented by the + signs in the diagrams. If they are all activated simultaneously, their combined activation effects will be evaluated against any inhibitory signals.
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Inhibition Analysis: If there is a strong inhibitor signal (a - sign) from another neuron that competes with the activation inputs, neuron N may not be activated.
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Comparison of Options: After evaluating each option (A, B, C, D), it was concluded that option C allows for sufficient activation inputs from the combined inputs of J, K, L, and M to successfully activate neuron N while avoiding significant inhibitory effects. Thus, neuron N is expected to activate the muscle fibre when J, K, L, and M are all active in scenario C.