11. Sensory Physiology Flashcards
LO1: What are the classification systems for peripheral axons?
- Their contribution to a compound AP (a, b, and c WAVES) recorded from an entire mixed peripheral nerve
- Based on FIBER diameter, myelin thickness, and conduction velocity of an AP (classes 1,2,3, and 4)
~compound AP and conduction velocity of nerve fibers= often used as diagnostic tests in evaluation of peripheral nerve disease~
~conduction velocity determines fibers contribution to compound AP~
LO2: What electrophysiologic classifications are there of sensory afferent vs. motor efferent fiber types:
Sensory: A and C
(Aa, Ab, Ad, C)
Motor: A, B, and C
(Aa,Ay, B, C)
LO2: Aa- What subtype does Aa sensory afferent have? What is the fiber diameter? what is the conduction velocity?
1a and 1b
BIGGEST AND FASTEST
(monitor body in space, primary muscle spindles, golgi)
LO2: C- What subtype does C sensory afferent have? What is the fiber diameter? what is the conduction velocity?
4
smallest and slowest
(skin mechanoreceptors, thermal receptors, nociceptors)
LO 3: What is generator potential?
an appropriate stimulus applied to a somatosensory receptor produces this, which when large enough, leads to APs that can be carried over a considerable distance into the CNS
What do all (but one) sensory systems go through? which doesnt?
all sensory systems are going to route through thalamus EXCEPT olfactory
LO3: what is convergence?
if have second order neuron gets input from two separate first order neurons= convergence
LO3: what is divergence?
if you have a given peripheral afferent, the central processes might synapse on second order neuron; but if has branches of primary afferent, then branches might synapse on different second-order sensory neurons
One first order neuron –> two 2nd order neurons
What is the relationship between sensory receptors and intensity of stimulus?
number of active receptors INCREASES with increased intensity of the stimulus (amplitude of receptor potential)
makes digital pulse code (freq of APs is proportional to intensity of stimulus)
What is receptor adaptation?
when stimulus persists unchanged for several minutes, without change in position or amplitude, neural response diminishes and sensation is lost
LO4: What is a rapidly-adapting (RA) receptor?
receptors that respond only at the beginning or end of a stimulus; basically active when stimulus intensity increases or decreases; rapidly adapts then stops; stimulus withdraws, get activity
LO4: What is a slowly-adapting (SA) receptor?
receptors that respond to prolonged and constant stimulation
persists entire duration of stimulus
LO4: Which mechanoreceptors are RA receptors?
Meissners corpuscles, Pacinian corpuscles, and hair follicle receptors
LO4: Which mechanoreceptors are SA receptors?
Ruffini ending, Merkel cell-neurite complexes, tactile free nerve endings, hair follicle receptor
LO4: Which mechanoreceptors are SA+ RA receptors?
hair follicle receptors
LO4: What kind of sensation is produced by microstimulation of Meissners corpuscles (RA)? What is their receptor field size?
tap, flutter
small receptive field
LO4: What kind of sensation is produced by microstimulation of Hair follicle receptors (RA/SA)?
motion, direction
LO4: What kind of sensation is produced by microstimulation of Pacinian corpuscles (RA)? What is their receptor field size?
vibration
large receptive field
LO4: What kind of sensation is produced by microstimulation of Merkel disks (SA)? What is their receptor field size?
touch, pressure
small receptive field
LO4: What kind of sensation is produced by microstimulation of Ruffini corpuscles (SA)?
skin stretch
LO5: What is the significance of receptive fields?
individual mechanoreceptor fibers conveying information from a limited area of skin (receptive field)
physical innervation in given quadrant of skin
LO5: Does receptor adaptation determine receptive field size?
NO
LO5: what is 2-point discrimination?
allows for spatial resolution of detailed textures in areas of body that need high tactile acuity
highest on fingertips and lips (bc afferents have smallest receptive fields)
lowest on calf, back, and thigh (largest receptive fields)
LO5: What are the two paths of receptive field perception?
2 receptive fields with convergence–> one signal goes to brain
OR
same distance and stimulate 2 different receptive fields but could go and split into two different signals to be perceived separately (more processing that can occur)
LO6: What is pre-synaptic inhibition? What does it improve
primary afferent Neurotransmission is controlled by pre-and post-synaptic inhibitory mechanisms
probably more powerful form of inhibitory control
diminished excitatory signal
Improves brains ability to localize the signal!!
LO6: How does pre-synaptic inhibition occur?
- GABAergic associated influx of Cl- into axon
- Hyperpolarization
- Less Ca2+ enters cytosol
- Leads to less NT release from presynaptic terminal
LO6: Where can presynaptic inhibition occur?
can repeat all the way to the cortex, further narrowing down the signal
What are the steps of cortical processing?
- Initial processing of signal
- Integration of initial processing into larger schemes
- Emotional response to processing
What is the arrangement of the cortex?
has 6 layers
3 and 4 are enlarged in primary sensory cortex (main site of termination of axons from thalamus)
main output neurons = pyramidal cells
LO8: What is the significance of columnar organization to the cortex?
third spatial dimension of cortex (z)= depth
neurons stacked above and below eachother are fundamentally similar (by functionality), but neuronal columns side by side are significantly DIFFERENT
columns extend through all 6 layers
each column deals with one sensory modality in one part of the body
neighboring columns receive sensory info from same part of body but different sensory modality