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> A scientist named Gábor Tamás and members of his lab were studying brain cells called inhibitory neurons, which act like the brakes in a car. They tell other
by Camillo 8y ago
> A scientist named Gábor Tamás and members of his lab were studying brain cells called inhibitory neurons, which act like the brakes in a car. They tell other brain cells when to slow down.
Is this "explain it like I'm five" passage really necessary? Surely any adult would understand what an inhibitory neuron does from the name alone. Would a writer feel the need to explain the meaning of the word inhibit? Inhibition? Uninhibited? And if they did, would they do so in such childish terms?
- Jedd 8y agoNot necessarily. I self-assess as 'fairly smart', but my neurological understanding is pretty poor, and inhibitory neuron may mean a neuron that inhibits other neurons, or a neuron that inhibits something else entirely. If that's to 'slow down' the pace of neuron activity or to actually suppress it (ie. inhibit it) isn't 100% clear from the name, either.
- MichaelBurge 8y agoDoes an inhibitory neuron prevent other neurons from firing, negate the effect of their firing, or slow them down?
- nonbel 8y agoIt can do any of those or the opposite. The effect of the signals from one neuron depend on the properties of the receiving neuron. Ie, the same neurotransmitter released can be "excitatory" to neighboring neurons in one case and "inhibitory" in the next: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306452214006411 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030645221...