2
JERALD J
B. Spontaneous Activity of the Medulla Oblongata . . .
C. Reticulomotor System . . . . . . . . .
D. Taste
. . . . . . . . . . . .
E. Audition
. . . . . . . . . . .
VIII. Spinal Cord
. . . . . . . . . . .
A. Anatomy
. . . . . . . . . . .
B. Caudal Neurosecretory System and Urophysis . . . .
C. Electrophysiological Properties of the Neurosecretory Cells
and Intramedullary Neurons
. . . . . . .
D. Regeneration of the Spinal Cord . . . . . .
IX. Myotypic Respecification of Regenerated Nerves . . . .
References . . . . . . . . . . . . .
BERNSTEIN
55
56
5s
62
68
68
70
72
74
76
78
I. INTRODUCTION
The primary function of the central nervous system is integration.
Integration results in adaptive behavior which is initiated by the perception of peripheral events with all their various attributes, qualities, and
amplitudes. These peripheral events are encoded; information is transmitted to different areas of the central nervous system; messages converge on and divert to the appropriatc central nervous system centers;
this information is transmitted to appropriate efferent centers with the
resultant appropriate messages going to the efferent organs of the body,
resulting in the final behavior of the animal. Anatomically, information is
carried over the fiber tracts of the central nervous system to the various
neural centers; physiologically, this rcsults in the dendritic summation
of excitatory and/or inhibitory effects on the neural coniponents of thc
nervous system center.
Nervous system function can be viewed as a computer with digital
and analog components. The information impinging on the central ncrvous system via physical energy from the environment is extremely reliable. This information is encoded by receptors and transmitted via
axons as a series of all-or-none impulses. The digital axonal information
has no known qualitativc differences available except for factors such as
the temporal rates of firing from the periphery (digital cncoding). The
digital information of the axon is centrally converted to an analog input
to the neurons of termination by the propagation of graded potcntials
in the postsynaptic elements. The gradcd potential results in a more-orless type of analog information being propagated in thc dendrites and
cell body of the neuron. This physiological cvent is recorded as the
postsynaptic potential of neurons. The electrophysiological recording
JERALD J
B. Spontaneous Activity of the Medulla Oblongata . . .
C. Reticulomotor System . . . . . . . . .
D. Taste
. . . . . . . . . . . .
E. Audition
. . . . . . . . . . .
VIII. Spinal Cord
. . . . . . . . . . .
A. Anatomy
. . . . . . . . . . .
B. Caudal Neurosecretory System and Urophysis . . . .
C. Electrophysiological Properties of the Neurosecretory Cells
and Intramedullary Neurons
. . . . . . .
D. Regeneration of the Spinal Cord . . . . . .
IX. Myotypic Respecification of Regenerated Nerves . . . .
References . . . . . . . . . . . . .
BERNSTEIN
55
56
5s
62
68
68
70
72
74
76
78
I. INTRODUCTION
The primary function of the central nervous system is integration.
Integration results in adaptive behavior which is initiated by the perception of peripheral events with all their various attributes, qualities, and
amplitudes. These peripheral events are encoded; information is transmitted to different areas of the central nervous system; messages converge on and divert to the appropriatc central nervous system centers;
this information is transmitted to appropriate efferent centers with the
resultant appropriate messages going to the efferent organs of the body,
resulting in the final behavior of the animal. Anatomically, information is
carried over the fiber tracts of the central nervous system to the various
neural centers; physiologically, this rcsults in the dendritic summation
of excitatory and/or inhibitory effects on the neural coniponents of thc
nervous system center.
Nervous system function can be viewed as a computer with digital
and analog components. The information impinging on the central ncrvous system via physical energy from the environment is extremely reliable. This information is encoded by receptors and transmitted via
axons as a series of all-or-none impulses. The digital axonal information
has no known qualitativc differences available except for factors such as
the temporal rates of firing from the periphery (digital cncoding). The
digital information of the axon is centrally converted to an analog input
to the neurons of termination by the propagation of graded potcntials
in the postsynaptic elements. The gradcd potential results in a more-orless type of analog information being propagated in thc dendrites and
cell body of the neuron. This physiological cvent is recorded as the
postsynaptic potential of neurons. The electrophysiological recording