Question

How is the brain able to differentiate between each sensory modality? A The action potentials, sent along the same nerve tracts, get sorted by the thalamus B The action potentials for each sense are sent along separate nerve tracts. C Each sense uses different neurotransmitters. D Each sensory input, passing through the same tracts, triggers action potentials in different patterns.

Answer 1

(B) is the correct option

Step-by-step explanation:

• A sensory modality is a channel of input from a receptor mosaic along a nerve and allows the possibility of filtering the inputs of the nerve or channel
• The brain recognizes the different kinds of sensation (modalities) as separate/distinct because each modality sends its action potentials along separate nerves/tracts
• Neural activity in one line signals a sound, activity in another signals a smell, activity in another signals touch
• One can even distinguish between different types of touch since some signal light touch, others signal vibration, and others signal stretching of skin