burst–pause firing

an oscillating pattern in which neurons in the thalamocortical system fire in unison, 1 to 4 per second, followed by pauses in which they do not fire. This pattern becomes synchronized throughout much of the brain, producing the large-amplitude electroencephalogram waves characteristic of slow-wave sleep.

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Psychology term of the day

January 31st 2025

somatosensory system

the parts of the nervous system that serve perception of touch, vibration, pain, temperature, and position (see somatosense). Nerve fibers from receptors for these senses enter the dorsal roots of the spinal cord and ascend mainly through tracts in the dorsal columns to the ventroposterior nuclei of the thalamus, from which they are relayed (directly or indirectly) to the somatosensory areas of the parietal cortex. Also called somatic sensory system.