Chapter 16 Flashcards
(169 cards)
What is a sensory receptor?
A structure specialized to detect a stimulus
What is a sense organ?
A structure combining nervous and other tissues to enhance the response to a certain type of stimulus
What is transduction?
Conversion of one form of energy to another. Such as stimulus energy to nerve signals
What is receptor potential?
The initial effect of a stimulus on a sensory cell. Can lead to firing of action potentials, or release of neurotransmitter depending on the sensory cell type
What is a sensation?
A subjective awareness of a stimulus, resulting when sensory signals reach the brain
Why might some sensory signals not reach the brain?
Because they get filtered out in the brainstem to prevent overstimulation
What types of information do sensory receptors transmit?
Modality, location, intensity, and duration
What is modality of a stimulus?
The type of stimulus or the sensation it produces
What determines modality of a stimulus?
Where the sensory signals end in the brain
What is the location of a stimulus?
Sensory neurons have receptive fields in which any stimulation triggers the same neuron to send signals to the brain. More sensitive areas have smaller receptive fields
What is the intensity of a stimulus distinguished by?
Which neurons are firing, how many neurons are firing, and how fast they’re firing
What is duration of a stimulus encoded by?
Encoded by changes in firing frequency with passage of time
What is sensory adaptation?
If receptors are exposed to a stimulus for a long time, the neuron fires slower over time and you become less aware of the stimulus
What are phasic receptors?
Receptors which generate bursts of action potentials when stimulated, then quickly adapt and reduce signaling
What are tonic receptors?
Receptors which adapt to extended stimulation more slowly and steadily, making you more aware of the sensation than w/ phasic receptors
How are receptors classified?
Stimulus modality, stimulus origin, and distribution of receptors in the body
What are exteroceptors?
Sensory receptors that sense stimuli external to the body
What are interoceptors?
Sensory receptors that sense stimuli internal to the body
What are proprioceptors?
Sensory receptors that detect position and movement of the body and its parts
What are general senses?
Distributed throughout the body
What are special senses?
Distributed solely in the head, innervated by cranial nerves, and employing complex sense organs
What do thermoreceptors detect?
Heat and cold
What do photoreceptors detect?
Light
What do nociceptors detect?
Pain