About

Stimulus-Response Pathway refers to a series of memes based on a scientific diagram depicting the stimulus-response pathway in the human body. The format gained popularity in late October 2020 with edits in which various memes and characters triggered a reaction of liking or sharing them. The format is similar to Neuron Activation.

Origin

The scientific diagram used in the format illustrates the stimulus-response pathway of the human nervous system (shown below). While the exact origin of the diagram is unknown, starting in 2016, it was featured in a number of articles and posts online, including posts on BioNinja^[1] and Socratic.^[2]

The diagram did not see use in memes until late October 2020. On October 18th, 2020, Twitter^[7] user @kiaenq posted the first meme which used the diagram a template; a Touhou meme. The post received over 1,300 retweets and 3,800 likes in two months (shown below).

Spread

On October 20th, Redditor^[3] Muraaaaaaa posted the first derivative meme; a League of Legends joke. The post received over 940 upvotes in one month (shown, below center). On the same day, Twitter^[4] user @chikakusareta posted a meme about WataMote character Tomoko that gained over 80 retweets and 250 likes (shown below, right).

Starting in late October 2020, the format gained moderate popularity across all major platforms. For example, on October 22nd, 2020, Instagram^[5] account barbells_and_anime_milkers posted a meme that received over 2,500 likes in one month (shown below, left). On October 24th, Redditor^[6] from_brasil posted a Big Floppa meme that gained over 900 upvotes in /r/196 in the same period.

In October and November 2020, the format maintained a moderate popularity, with several viral tweets posted during that period.

Related Memes

Neuron Activation/ Monkey Sees Action

Neuron Activation, also known as Monkey Sees Action, refers to an abridged scientific diagram illustrating firing of a mirror neutron in a monkey upon observing another monkey eating a banana. Starting in February 2020, the diagram has been used as an exploitable, with the image of the second monkey usually replaced with other imagery.

Various Examples

Template

Search Interest

External References