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Thinking, Sensing & Behaving
Aging
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How Your Brain Processes Information
Related Topics
How Neurons Communicate
How Experience Shapes Your Brain
Genetically determined circuits are the foundation of the nervous system.
Neuronal circuits are formed by genetic programs during embryonic development and modified through interactions with the internal and external environment.
Sensory circuits (sight, touch, hearing, smell, taste) bring information to the nervous system, whereas motor circuits send information to muscles and glands.
The simplest circuit is a reflex, in which sensory stimulus directly triggers an immediate motor response.
Complex responses occur when the brain integrates information from many brain circuits to generate a response.
Simple and complex interactions among neurons take place on time scales ranging from milliseconds to months.
The brain is organized to recognize sensations, initiate behaviors, and store and access memories that can last a lifetime.
Learn How Your Brain Processes Information
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