Final answer:
Signals reach your brain through a process of sensory transduction and neurotransmitter activity, involving neurons and synapses to convert stimuli into electrical or chemical signals. These signals are then interpreted by the cortex, which is helped by brain structures such as the thalamus, the temporal lobe, and the parietal lobe.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process by which a signal reaches your brain involves several steps that allow the body to respond to stimuli. Neurons in the cerebral cortex, as neuron A in the context, initiate this process by firing a nerve impulse sent to other neurons, leading to a subsequent muscle contraction. The pathway for this signal involves neurotransmitters binding to receptors, triggering nerve impulses that travel through nerves like the auditory nerve. The cortex of the brain interprets these signals, producing a conscious perception.
Sensory transduction is the process by which all types of senses, including touch, sound, and vision, convert a stimulus into a chemical or electrical signal. This conversion occurs through interactions at the synapse, the junction point between neurons. In sensory transduction, neurotransmitters are released, allowing signals to cross the synapse and bind to receptors of a target neuron, which may trigger an action potential if the graded potential reaches the threshold. This information is then relayed through parts of the brain such as the thalamus and to specific lobes like the temporal lobe, which detects 'what' signals, or the parietal lobe, which processes 'where' information.
In essence, this elaborate system enables communication throughout the body, with neurotransmitters and neurons playing a key role in transmitting signals from sensory receptors to the brain, where perceptions and responses are formulated.