Leech Lab

 

 

 

 

1.  What is the electrode measuring?

The electrodes are recording the electrical activity of the neurons.

2.  Why use leeches in neurophysiology experiments?

Leeches have very large, easily accessible neurons in their nerve cord and no one seems to worry about opening them up and feeling sorry for them.

3.  What is the difference between a sensory and a motor neuron?

Sensory neurons take nerve impulses from sensor receptors to the CNS and motor neurons take nerve impulses from the CNS to muscle and glands.

4.  Do you think a leech experiences pain?  What is pain?

Yes, I think leeches feel pain. They have a simple brain, a nerve cord, ganglia, and neurons. The have everything it takes to feel pain. They also have sensory organs on the head and body surface which enable them to detect light, temperature, and vibration.

Pain - For scientific and clinical purposes, pain is defined by the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) as "an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or described in terms of such damage".

Compliments of Wikipedia

5.  What were the two most interesting things about doing this lab?

I thought learning about the voltage inside of cells was interesting and the lab itself watching the poor little leech get cut up and its guts cut out.

6.  Anything you found confusing or didn't like about the lab?

I think for being an online lab, it was very informative, but I would much rather do this stuff in a classroom with other people, on real leeches.