Question

Which of the following scientists devised the doctrine of specific nerve energies by expanding Bell-Magendie Law?

• A. Charles Bell
• B. Jean-Jacques Rousseau
• C. Johannes Muller
• D. Wilhelm Maximillian Wundt

Hint:

Associate "Doctrine of Specific Nerve Energies" directly with Johannes Müller. This physiological principle laid the groundwork for modern sensory neuroscience and sensory mapping.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Question:
The question asks us to identify the scientist who formulated the doctrine of specific nerve energies by expanding upon the sensory-motor distinctions established by the Bell-Magendie Law.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

• The Bell-Magendie Law established that the dorsal roots of the spinal cord carry sensory information while the ventral roots carry motor information.

• Johannes Müller expanded this physiological concept into the sensory domain by formulating the Doctrine of Specific Nerve Energies in 1826.

• Müller argued that our sensory experiences depend not on the physical stimulus itself, but on which nervous pathways are stimulated.

• For example, pressure on the eyeball stimulates the optic nerve and produces a visual sensation of light, demonstrating that visual pathways always yield visual experiences.

• Charles Bell was co-discoverer of the Bell-Magendie Law but did not formulate the generalized doctrine of specific nerve energies.

• Jean-Jacques Rousseau was a political philosopher, and Wilhelm Wundt was the founder of experimental psychology who built upon Müller's physiological foundations.

Step 3: Final Answer:
Johannes Müller is the physiologist who formulated the doctrine of specific nerve energies.