The ability to detect two points simultaneously applied to the skin is based on which physiologic mechanism?

Lateral inhibition is the basis of ability to detect two points simultaneously applied to the skin. Every sensory pathway, when excited, gives rise simultaneously to lateral inhibitory signals; these inhibitory signals spread to the sides of the excitatory signal and inhibit adjacent neurons. Presynaptic inhibition: decrease release of excitatory neurotransmitter. Endogenous analgesia system Feed-forward inhibition: when excitatory neurons exciteinhibitorycells, which theninhibit a group of postsynaptic excitatory neurons. Seen in cerebellum (Cerebellar learning) Recurrent/Renshaw cell inhibition: Sho inhibitory interneuron Collaterals excites renshaw cell which in turn inhibits the same neuron Purpose: delays muscle fatigue, sharpens the signal to muscle