Specific functions are localized in specific parts of the nervous system and depend on the neural circuits, or networks, in those structures. A major focus of modern neuroscience is to understand how the various functions of the nervous system, ranging from simple reflexes to complex learning and memory, are accomplished by the interactions of neurons in circuits. Two extensively studied examples of how neural networks process information are the autonomic nervous system (an output pathway) and the visual system (an input pathway).
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To control involuntary autonomic responses, the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions of the autonomic nervous system have distinct circuitry and typically induce opposite functional responses from target organs and tissues.
Visual information is transduced in the retina via center-
Binocular neurons in the visual cortex receive input from both eyes and thereby enable depth perception in humans.