Somatosensory Ascending Pathway - Part III Flashcards
(110 cards)
Explain axonal reflex
-1st axonal terminal in one receptive area: afferent
- AP conducted back to the spinal cord/brainstem: orthodromic
However…
- AP conducted to other axonal terminals: antidromic
- release neurotransmitters: efferent
- Directly causes inflammation through mast cells
What do mast cells release when activated?
histamine
Where are free nerve endings?
EVERYWHERE
- from epidermis to internal organs
- ONLY SENSORY SYSTEM in epidermis
What do free nerve endings detect?
pain with noxious stimuli
What kind of axons are free nerve endings?
small, slow conduction
What are the two types of fibers in free nerve endings?
A delta and C-fiberss
What should we know about A-delta fibers?
poorly myelinated
SLOW CONDUCTION
What should we know about C-fibers?
none myelinated
SLOW
What are the functions of free nerve endings?
crude touch, temperature, noxious stimuli, itch and flavor
What do mechanoreceptors detect?
crude touch
What are the two parameters of mechanoreceptors / crude touch?
- duration
- intensity (increased AP frequency)
What is important about intensity of stimuli?
- initiate receptor potential
- defined by amplitude
- push harder = more stimulation transformed by nerve ending trigger zone, initiate AP
- push harder = higher amplitude of receptor potential, transform into AP increase the frequency
What are some modality specific receptors?
- cutaneous mechanoreceptors
- cutaneous thermoreceptors
- cutaneous nociceptors
What are some polymodal receptors?
1 free nerve ending can detect different types of stimuli
- other cutaneous nociceptors such as neat, cold, chemo, etc.
What kind receptors are most free nerve endings?
polymodal
- 2 levels of receptors
- protein complex on cell membrane interact with stimuli
- axonal terminals, interact with environment to detect stimuli
What are high threshold nociceptors?
pain initiated, above 45 degrees celsius
- A-delta = pain, fast
What are low threshold thermoreceptors?
when the hand gets closer to the bulb - low threshold themoreceptors activated
What happens when thermoreceptors are plateaued?
- elongated refractory phase
Pain is caused above this temperature?
45 degrees celcius
- thermal receptors have much longer absolute refractory period
- above 40 degrees increases temp but wont increse AP
In between what temperatures we CAN feel cold and hot?
17 to 45 degrees Celsius
When do we feel pain? Above and below what temperatures?
above 45 degrees celsius and below 17 degrees celsius
What detects hot and cold between 17 and 45 degrees celsius?
thermoreceptors
What detects pain above and below 45 and 17 degees celsius?
nociceptors
How many polymodal receptors are there in CN V3?
6
- still thermoreceptors