• Question: do nerves work the same in all animals?

    Asked by aworswick to Rachael on 14 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Rachael Ward

      Rachael Ward answered on 14 Jun 2011:

      @aworswick, hi, a very important question!

      its tricky to give a simple answer! The basic way a brain cell or neuron works is by passing information to one another via electrical and chemical signals. This is the same in the neurons of all animals whether they are worms or snails, birds or rats, humans or whales! That is why I can use worms to study neurons and it is still relevant to how the human brain works.

      Some things are different though and we have to keep these in mind when we are working.

      For example, my worms have a much simpler nervous system than humans – they only have 302 neurons while humans have billions! They also don’t all use the same chemical signals so some chemicals (or neurotransmitters) would be impossible to study in worms as they dont have them. However, I can study serotonin in worms because they have this chemical, just like humans do.

      I hope this answers your question!

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