Chapter 16: Sensory, Motor And Integrative Systems Flashcards
(112 cards)
Sensation
Is the conscious or subconscious awareness of changes in external or internal environment.
Perception
Is the conscious interpretation of sensations and is primary a function of the cerebral cortex.
Sensory Modality
Each unique type of sensation. Such as touch, pain, vision or hearing.
A given sensory neuron carries information for only one sensory modality.
Sensory Modalities Classes
- General Senses: refer to both somatic and visceral senses.
Somatic: tactile, thermal, pain and proprioceptive sensations.
Visceral: Provide info about conditions within internal organs like pressure, stretch, nausea - Special Senses: include the sensory modalities of smell, taste, vision, hearing, and equilibrium or balance.
Sensory Receptor
Can be either a specialized cell or the dendrites of a sensory neuron.
The process of sensation begins with a sensory neuron.
Stimulus
A change in environment that can activate certain sensory receptors.
Selectivity
Characteristic of sensory receptors. A sensory receptor responds only weakly or not at all to other stimuli.
4 Events that Occur for a Sensation to Arise
- Stimulation of the sensory receptor; an appropriate stimulus must occurs within the sensory receptors receptive filed.
- Transduction of the stimulus: a sensory receptor converts the energy ions stimulus into a graded potential, process known as transduction. It can transducer (convert) only one kind of stimulus.
- Generation of Nerve impulses: when a graded potential in sensory receptor reaches threshold, it triggers one or more nerve impulses, which then propagate toward the CNS.
- Integration of sensory input: a particular region of the CNS receives and integrates (processes) the sensory nerve impulses.
Types of Sensory Receptors
- Microscopic structure
- Location of the receptor and the origin of stimuli that activate them.
- Type of stimulus detected.
Microscopic Structure
- Free nerve endings: bare dendrites associated with pain, thermal, tickle, itch and some touch
- Encapsulated nerve endings: dendrites enclosed in connective tissue capsule for pressure, vibration and touch.
- Separate cells that synapse with first order sensory neurons: receptors cells synapse with first order sensory neurons, located in retina eyes.
Receptor Location and Activating Stimuli
- Exteroceptors: Located at or near body surfaces, sensitive to stimuli originating outside the body.
- Interoceptor: located in blood vessels, visceral organs, and nervous system
- Proprioceptors: located in the muscles, tendons and inner ear
Type Of Stimulus Detected
- Mechanoreceptors: detect mechanical stimuli, provide sensation of touch, pressure, vibration, proprioception and hearing.
- Thermoreceptors: Detect changes in temperature
- Nociceptors: Respond to painful stimuli resulting from physical or chemical damage to tissue.
- Photoreceptors: detect light that strikes the retina of the eye.
- Chemoreceptors: detect chemical in mouth, nose and body fluids.
- Osmoreceptors: Sense osmotic pressure of body fluids.
Separate Cells
Sensory receptors for some special senses that are specialized. They synapses with sensory neurons.
Include: hair cells for hearing and equilibrium in the inner ear, gustatory receptors in taste buds, and photoreceptors in the retina of the eye for vision.
Receptor Potential
A graded potential generated by a sensory neuron when responding to a stimulus.
Adaptation
A characteristic of most sensory receptors in which receptors potential decreases in amplitude during a maintained, constant stimulus.
Rapidly Adapting Receptors
Adapt very quickly. They rate specialized for changes in a stimulus.
Rapidly adapting receptors: are associated with vibration, touch, and smell.
Somatic Sensation
Arise from stimulation of sensory receptors embedded in the skin or SC layer, mucous membranes of the mouth, vagina, anus, skeletal muscle, tendons and joints.
Highest density: tip of tongue, the lips, and finger tips
4 modalities: tactile, thermal, pain, proprioceptive.
Cutaneous Sensations
Somatic sensations that arise from stimulating the skin surface.
Tactile Sensation
Include touch, pressure, vibration, itch and tickle.
Touch Sensations
Generally result from stimulation of tactile receptors in the skin or SC layer.
Corpuscles Of Touch
Location: capsule surrounds mass of dendrites in dermal papilla of hairless skin.
Sensations: onset of touch and low frequency vibrations.
Rate: Rapid
Hair Root Plexuses
Location: free nerve endings wrapped around hair follicles in skin
Sensations: movement on skin surface that disturbs hairs
Rate: Rapid
Type I Cutaneous Mechanoreceptors
Location: saucer shaped free nerve endings make contact with tactile epithelial cells in epidermis
Sensations: continuous touch and pressure
Rate: slow
Type II Cutaneous Mechanoreceptors
Type of joint kinesthetic receptors
Location: Elongated capsule surrounds dendrites deep in dermis and in ligaments and tendons.
Sensations: skin stretching and pressure.
Rate: Slow