27
votes
Accepted
Why is loud music much louder after pausing and resuming it?
Hearing is capable of sensory adaptation such that prolonged constant stimulus is perceived as less intense. In hearing, the adaptation to loud sounds is called acoustic reflex and is mediated by two ...
- 1,923
18
votes
Have elephants (or any species other than humans) been known to cover their dead?
Yes.
I was able to find a book1 (see p. 237-239) and a paper2 (I couldn't access this one) suggesting elephants bury their dead and other animals in African elephants (Loxodonta africana). I also ...
- 11.2k
5
votes
Accepted
Does communication with new parts of body requires internal changes in brain?
I think you'd benefit from reading about the concept of "critical periods" - basically, at different times during development, the brain is learning specific tasks, associating sensory ...
- 43.9k
4
votes
Accepted
Why chemical synapses are more common?
Electrical synapses are hardly synapses at all, they allow the connected cells to share some components of their cytoplasm.
This really makes them more like one "super cell" rather than ...
- 43.9k
3
votes
Can Neurons be connected in Series and will that pattern create huge voltage in human body?
In a typical nervous system, no, that's not how neurons are connected at all. Neurons have a voltage across their membrane, a potential difference inside versus outside of the cell. A "connection&...
- 43.9k
3
votes
Accepted
Why do V_Na and V_K stay unchanged in Hodgkin-Huxley model?
As you've figured out, the reversal potentials don't change because they're assuming the concentrations don't change. Even relative to $\mathrm{[Na^+]_o}$ and $\mathrm{[K^+]_i}$ the number of ions ...
- 43.9k
3
votes
electrotonic spread and screening
In biological membranes, the primary physics principle resisting change in voltage is described by capacitance of the membrane, which is a key aspect of the cable equations. If you model some ...
- 43.9k
2
votes
electrotonic spread and screening
So measuring the voltage on two points along the membrane, one should see a drop in voltage, if the points are distant enough. Therefore on that side, there is a current, and the charges on that side ...
- 336
2
votes
Accepted
Are the lower layers of skin more electrically sensitive as opposed to simply heat sensitive?
Sensation comes from receptors, and there are many different types, including free nerve endings, which are responsible for sensations of heat and pain 1. These free nerve endings can be directly ...
- 166
2
votes
Accepted
What is the evidence for cognition being mainly confined to the brain?
The single best evidence is injury and deformity.
You can lose any other part of the body without impairing cognition but brain damage especially damage to specific parts of the brain alter or damage ...
- 14.3k
1
vote
Accepted
Why is there a negative sign before voltage in the gate variable functions of the Hodgkin-Huxley model?
Voltage is a potential difference. Membrane potential is a difference across a membrane. When you calculate a difference A - B or B - A, you get a number that has the same magnitude but opposite sign. ...
- 43.9k
1
vote
What is the evidence for cognition being mainly confined to the brain?
We can monitor brain waves from people in comas and brain death. Even though their organs are fine and so are their heart and limbs, their brain scan looks like this:
- 10.3k
1
vote
Can acetylcholine leak away from the synapse and cause spasms?
"So no, Ach does not leak away under physiologiocal conditions "
I beg to differ. During times of psychological stress, after a physical injury or infection, these can interfere with ...
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