In: Anatomy and Physiology
Animal Physiology Question
1. Dynamic Range is the range of stimulus intensities over which a receptor can respond. Receptors that have a smaller (or narrower) dynamic range have much better discrimination of changes in stimulus intensity than receptors that have a large dynamic range (although I can’t test figures here, you should be able to draw a neuron with a wide vs. narrow dynamic range). Please explain the trade-off between dynamic range and discrimination using the relationship between number of action potentials fired and changes in stimulus intensity for both receptors with narrow vs. large dynamic ranges.
Dynamic Range
It is the range of stimulus intensities on to which the receptor can produce a response. Receptors having smaller/ narrow dynamic range provide significantly better discrimination of changes in stimulus intensity as compared to those with a large dynamic range. Dynamic range and its discrimination have a negative degree of correlation. A large dynamic range results in a poor sensory discrimination, whereas the small dynamic range provide an impact with notable sensory discrimination. Though, a range fractionation observed is when a group of receptors work together to intensify the dynamic range without altering the sensory discrimination. A large dynamic range of a receptor comprise of one or more intensity that tend to impact a bigger dynamic range. Despite the fact, a narrow dynamic range has two or more action potential per increase in intensity that reveals a precise degree of discrimination compared to the large dynamic range. Large dynamic range has a large impact in stimulus resulting in a small change in frequency of action potential and narrow dynamic range creates a small change in stimulus leading to a large change in frequency of action potential.