How does our brain interpret the impulses?
Answer:
This is an excellent question!
Basically you can think of your brain as a collection of billions of wires connected together. However unlike wires which transmit electricity and are therefore only additive, the brain sends neurotransmitters and these bind to various receptors. Whats amazing is that each neurotransmitter has its own property, also depending on which receptor they bind determines what response the neurotransmitter has on the neuron (the wire). Now, each neuron has been tuned by biological processes such plasticity and potentiation. This ultimately arises due to repeated stimulation of the neuron reinforcing its position and response, or its position in the brain in a particular pathway. What this basically means is if a stimulus occurs over and over again it is more likely to happen again in the future, or the neuron has been 'tuned' so that when it gets this response it gives a particular response at a particular amplitude and direction (reinforce or cancel)
Okay, now this is getting a little complicated i apologise, so I will put this into perspective. Lets use two neurotransmitters:
GABA (which inhibits neurons usually)
and Glutamate (which excites neurons usually)
So we see a plate of food and we are starving!! Pathways in our brain have been positioned and tuned so that we will respond to this food depending on other circumstances. (Hypothetically) Glutamate is exciting neurons so that they send messages to our salivary glands to secrete saliva so that we can digest the food, also from the optic nerves (our eye) positive messages (also glutamate) are being sent to reinforce this behaviour telling us to eat this food because we can see it. However this is where negative messages come in from GABA. We suddently remember that the last time we ate so much we threw up everywhere and people got angry so there are message from various places releasing GABA to tell us not to eat so much, maybe not eat it at all and wait for our lunch!
Now GABA and glycine translate as ionic currents on the membrane of the neuron. What you are trying to do is increase the voltage across the cell membrane so that the neuron gets excited and fires. However because of situations above, the whole picture is in a fight between positive and negative messages. Some are positive saying "fire!! you want that food!" (Glutamate) and others are saying "NO!! dont fire you'll throw up and mom'll get angry!!" (GABA).
Theres a place i the neuron where these ionic current build up and determine whether the neuron fires or not - the axon hillock. So Glutamate might cause an influx of calcium heighteining the voltage, but GABA might cause an influx of chloride ions lowering the voltage. The whole picture is in a massive battle between +'ve signals and -'ve signals. Ultimately the whole picture comes together and whether this signal is big enough to cause the neuon to fire is what determines your outcome, and is the whole basis behind interpreting impulses
Feel free to email me with any questions :)
Got to HAVE it NOW! I know my body can get a bit shakey for caffeine.
Homer Simpson drooled for his food/beer cravings.
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