Question

The process of lateral inhibition a. increases the sensitivity of receptors. b. promotes sensory adaptation. c. increases sensory acuity. d. prevents adjacent receptors from being stimulated.

Short answer

The correct answer is c. Increases sensory acuity, as lateral inhibition helps differentiate between adjacent stimuli and improves the detection of edges, leading to enhanced sensory perception.

Step-by-step solution

Understand Lateral Inhibition

Lateral inhibition is a process that occurs in the nervous system, enhancing the perception of edges and distinguishing between adjacent stimuli in sensory systems. This process helps sharpen our perception and increases the contrast between the stimuli. Receptors or neurons that receive a strong stimulus inhibit the activity of neighboring receptors or neurons.

Identify the Correct Effect

Let's review each of the given options to determine which one correctly describes the effect of lateral inhibition. a. Increases the sensitivity of receptors: Lateral inhibition does not directly increase the sensitivity of receptors. Instead, it enhances the perception of contrast by inhibiting the activity of neighboring receptors. b. Promotes sensory adaptation: Sensory adaptation refers to the process where our sensory systems become less sensitive to constant stimuli. Lateral inhibition does not promote sensory adaptation, it enhances the contrast and perception of edges. c. Increases sensory acuity: As lateral inhibition helps us differentiate between adjacent stimuli and improves the detection of edges, it indeed leads to an increase in sensory acuity. Therefore, this answer is correct. d. Prevents adjacent receptors from being stimulated: Preventing adjacent receptors from being stimulated is not the goal of lateral inhibition. The purpose is to sharpen the contrast and perception between neighboring stimuli while allowing the stimulation of adjacent receptors. So the correct answer is: c. Increases sensory acuity