Lecture 19- Sensory Receptors

Question 1

What is the adequate stimulus?

Answer 1

the type of input each individual fiber is sensitive to

Question 2

What is the Law of Specific Nerve Energies?

Answer 2

says that when a fiber fires it will give the sensation of its adequate stimulus-despite what the actual stimulus may be

Question 3

What is the receptive field for a particular fiber?

Answer 3

the location where a specific stimulus must be applied to elicit a response

Question 4

What is the dynamic range of a particular fiber?

Answer 4

the min-max firing of a particular fiber

Question 5

Provide an example of a rapidly adapting receptor.

Answer 5

Pacinian corpuscle-responds to changes in stiumulus not to when stimulus is constand

Question 6

Describe the adaptation behavior of nociceptors.

Answer 6

Nociceptors sensitize they do not adapt in response to a prolonged stimulus

Question 7

What is the purpose of adaptation of a receptor?

Answer 7

it extends the dynamic range of that receptor

Question 8

How are we able to distinguish different types of stimuli (modality)?

Answer 8

by recognizing which fibers are active (recall: adequate stimulus)

Question 9

What are two ways that sensory receptors use to code for the magnitude or intensity of a stimulus?

Answer 9

1. frequency of firing

2. recruiting additional fibers

Question 10

What do we call a slowly adapting receptor?

Answer 10

tonic receptor

Question 11

What do we call a rapidly adapting receptor?

Answer 11

phasic receptor

Question 12

Provide an example of a phasic receptor

Answer 12

pacinian corpuscle