13 Special Senses Flashcards
auditory ossicles
malleus, incus, stapes
five major tastes
salt, sweet, sour, bitter, and umami (savory)
papillae
small projections on the tongue, many of which contain taste buds
binocular vision
vision using two eyes with overlapping fields of view, allowing good perception of depth
optic nerve
carries neural impulses from the eye to the brain
olfactory epithelium
a thin layer of tissue within the nasal cavity that contains hair-like cilia
equilibrium
the state of balance, sensed in the inner ear through the movement of fluid in the semicircular canals
sclera
white of the eye
cataracts
common in older people, the lens becomes cloudy which affects vision
otitis media
middle ear infection, common in children
tinnitus
ringing or buzzing in the ears
tears drain
into the nasolacrimal duct and then into the nasal cavity
retina
the light sensitive layer of the eye, contains rods and cones
Meniere’s disease
a disorder of the inner ear causing severe dizziness, tinnitus, and ear pain; the dizziness may be so severe the person can lose their balance and fall
tympanic membrane
eardrum
cones
detect bright light and allow for color vision
rods
detect dim light and black, white, and gray
farsightedness
hyperopia, the image is focused on an area beyond the retina
nearsightedness
myopia, the point of focus does not reach the retina
presbyopia
inability to focus close up as a result of aging
astigmatism
focus problems caused by the shape of the cornea
macular degeneration
a leading cause of age related vision problems, it is a disease that destroys central vision
retinal detachment
the retina is pulled away from it’s normal position, often the first symptom is seeing floaters, specks, or “cobwebs” in the field of vision
color blindness
usually genetic, and more common in men, the ability to perceive color is impaired
