Action Potentials and Neurotransmission
The neural system is a vital component of the human organism that ensures the work of the entire body. One of its primary tasks is to construct the body’s appropriate reactions to external events. To understand its peculiarities and functioning, it will be essential to consider two stages: action potentials and neurotransmission.
First, the action potential process assumes the action that occurs in a single neuron. It is an electric signal that operates in the axon. Notably, one can divide it into five main steps that represent a major part of the overall neural communication. For example, key points include resting membrane potential, depolarization, action potential threshold, repolarization, and hyperpolarization (Zjajo & Leuken, 2022).
To understand the entire neural communication, it is vital to explore each of them closely. Two types of ions can influence neuron functioning. Among them are sodium and potassium. Notably, the neuron’s work relies on the thorough and equal distribution of ions, which facilitates the formation of qualitative connections between neurons.
The second process, depolarization, requires a stimulus for neurons to become depolarized and, consequently, become less negative (Fett, 2019). This process is crucial for the entire neuron’s communication due to its importance in constantly allowing sodium ions to enter the neuron. This fact highlights that an exceptionally high rate of neuron transfer is required to conduct the above-mentioned processes.
Then, the next step in the entire neuron communication process is the action potential threshold, which allows the brain to construct depolarization, reaching a specific threshold of -55 millivolts (Joseph, 2000). Consequently, due to this outcome, the action can lead to the action potential stage, where the rapid influx of sodium ions occurs because of the opening of sodium channels (Fett, 2019).
As a result, in the final phase of the entire process, hyperpolarization, the cells become more damaged than others. Additionally, the stage of neurotransmission involves close communication among neurons at synapses. This means that the release of neurotransmitters into the synapse occurs (Moini, 2019). Therefore, the overall process of neural communication consists of various stages that involve operating neurons and ions, and constructing different types of relationships and communications.
Prenatal Brain Development and Visual Processing
The development of the brain during the prenatal period is a complex process that involves several steps. Among them are tube formation, proliferation, differentiation, migration, and others. Every stage responds to different actions, such as the formation of plate folds and fusions, the division of cells within the neural tube, the transmission of electrical signals, and others (Joseph, 2000). Remarkably, specific sources highlight that forebrain structures also play a role in this process.
For example, according to Joseph (2000), “the progression in behavioral complexity that begins with spontaneous fetal movements and which culminates with presumed preferences for the sound of mother’s voice, also appears to reflect maturational events taking place in the brainstem, followed by forebrain structures” (p. 81). Therefore, the entire pattern of prenatal brain development is a multi-component issue that requires a thorough understanding.
One of the most critical stages of the process, when light waves enter the eye, is the reception of light. In this process, the human brain and eyes act analytically. It is described in the article by Purves et al. (2015), where the author stresses the extracting features that the person’s eye conducts. For example, “a seemingly straightforward interpretation of these observations is that the visual system operates analytically, extracting features from retinal images, efficiently filtering and processing image features in a series of computational steps” (Purves et al., 2015). Other stages, such as phototransduction and optic nerve formation, are responsible for the entire eye’s formation and its response to light, as well as information processing.
Sleep Stages and Their Impact on the Body
Sleep stages are vital issues that significantly influence the overall functioning and well-being of the human body. It is essential to consider each step separately in order to obtain a thorough understanding of the person’s overall sleep. In the article by Matchock and Mordkoff (2014), the authors consider different stages of sleep and identify them accordingly.
As Matchock and Mordkoff (2014) state, “Stage W (Wakefulness), non-REM Stage 1 (NREM 1), non-REM Stage 2 (NREM 2), non-REM Stage 3 or slow wave sleep (NREM 3 or SWS), and REM” (p. 815). AS the implication of waking up during each stage, the authors highlight that the significant influence on the sleep stage and its characteristics is made by the time at which it occurs (Matchock & Mordkoff, 2014). Consequently, the stages of wakefulness encompass many implications that are vital for the human body.
References
Fett, R. (2019). Nurturing brain development during pregnancy and the first year. Franklin Fox Publishing LLC.
Joseph, R. G. (2000). Fetal Brain Behavior and Cognitive Development. Developmental review, 20(1), 81-98.
Matchock, R. L., & Mordkoff, J. T. (2014). Effects of sleep stage and sleep episode length on the alerting, orienting, and conflict components of attention. Exp Brain Res, 232, 811-820.
Moini, J. (2019). Anatomy and physiology for health professionals. Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC.
Purves, D., Morgenstern, Y., & Wojtach, W. T. (2015). Perception and Reality: Why a Wholly Empirical Paradigm Is Needed to Understand Vision. Front. Syst. Neurosci, 9.
Zjajo, A., & Leuken, R. (2022). Real-time multi-chip neural network for cognitive systems. River Publishers.