If axons from the retina were prevented from showing spontaneous activity during early development, what would be the probable effect on development of the thalamus?
If axons from the retina were prevented from showing spontaneous activity during early development, what would be the probable effect on development of the thalamus?
Axons are the elongated portions of the neuron that run between the soma and the axon terminals at the cell's center. The size, connections, and reactions to visual stimulation of retinal ganglion cells vary significantly, but they always have a long axon that extends into the brain as a defining feature. The optic nerve, optic chiasm, and optic tract are all made up of axons.
Chemical components guide axons to about the right position when they first arrive at their targets.
Every axon forms synapses on numerous cells in roughly the right places, and every target cell receives synapses from numerous axons. Over time, each post-synaptic cell strengthens the connections that are most suited while removing others.
For example
As numerous retinal axons send signals to one area of the thalamus. Repeated waves of spontaneous activity go across the retina from one side to the other as an embryo develops.
As a result, axons from nearby retinal regions communicate with the thalamus almost simultaneously. Each thalamic neuron chooses a set of concurrently active axons. It locates receptors from nearby retinal regions in this manner. Then, it disapproves of synapses from other regions.
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