Question

A sleepy driver rounds a bend and sees a deer standing in the road. The driver snaps to attention and applies the brakes, averting the accident, because his brain was aroused by the ____

Answer 1

Answer:

A sleepy driver rounds a bend and sees a deer standing in the road. The driver snaps to attention and applies the brakes, averting the accident, because his brain was aroused by the Reticular Activating system(RAS).

Explanation:

• Reticular activating system (RAS) is a part of brain that filters the sensory signal that tries to reach our brain.
• However the olfactory Signal do not pass through it .
• Reticular activating system is located at the brain stem little above the spinal column.
• This is an extremely important part of the brain because it sorts various sensory signals into important and non-important ones.
• RAS allows only those information into the brain that needs immediate attention of the conscious mind.
• Hence it is responsible for sudden wakefulness.
• Our sensory organs perceive thousands of information each second and direct them towards the brain.
• If RAS was not there then our brain would have reached a state of confusion every minute and might have failed to give proper response to any of the stimulus.
• In the given situation, the sudden sight of the deer acted as a threatening stimulus.
• This information needed immediate attention of the driver's conscious mind and his brain was thus aroused by the RAS.