Block D Part 1: Sensory Systems

Question 1

What is sensory transduction?

Answer 1

Sensory stimulus to neural impulses
(Lecture 1, Slide 5)

Question 2

What are the 4 common features of a sensory system?

Answer 2

Adaptation
Sensory Coding
Receptive field
Topographic organisation
(Lecture 1, Slide 7)

Question 3

What is adaptation in a sensory system and what does it allow us to do?

Answer 3

The way our senses adjust to different stimuli, which allows us to function in adverse or overstimulating conditions
(Lecture 1, Slide 8)

Question 4

What is rate coding in a sensory system?

Answer 4

The way in which the nervous system encodes information about the intensity of a stimulus
(Lecture 1, Slide 10)

Question 5

What is a receptive field?

Answer 5

A region of space in which the presence of a stimulus will alter the firing of the neuron
(Lecture 1, Slide 13)

Question 6

What is topographic organisation?

Answer 6

The systematic spatial representation of sensory information in the brain (like a map)
(Lecture 1, Slide 16)

Question 7

Which layer of the eye contains photoreceptor cells?

Answer 7

The retina
(Lecture 1, Slide 20)

Question 8

What are the two types of photoreceptor cells?

Answer 8

Rods and Cones
(Lecture 1, Slide 21)

Question 9

What type of light are rods used in?

Answer 9

Dim light
(Lecture 1, Slide 21)

Question 10

What type of light are cones used in?

Answer 10

Bright light
(Lecture 1, Slide 21)

Question 11

What are the 2 components of rhodopsin?

Answer 11

Retinal + opsin
(Lecture 1, Slide 22)

Question 12

What can Rhodopsin trigger when receiving photons?

Answer 12

Phototransduction
(Lecture 1, Slide 22)

Question 13

What is phototransduction?

Answer 13

The process by which light energy is converted to an electrical signal in the retina.
(Lecture 1, Slide 22)

Question 14

What is photoreception?

Answer 14

The process which describes how rods and cones absorb light waves which enter the eye.
(Lecture 1, Slide 23)

Question 15

What happens after initial photoreceptions?

Answer 15

Neural signals propagate through the retinal layers
(Lecture 1, Slide 23)

Question 16

What steps does the visual pathway contain?

Answer 16

Retina > Optic nerve > Optic chasm > Lateral geniculate body > Primary visual cortex
(Lecture 1, Slide 24)

Question 17

What are the two major components in sound?

Answer 17

Frequency and amplitude.
(Lecture 1, Slide 30)

Question 18

What is frequency (pitch) in sound waves?

Answer 18

The number of times per second that a sound wave repeats itself
(Lecture 1, Slide 30)

Question 19

What is amplitude in sound waves?

Answer 19

The relative strength of sound waves which we perceive as loudness or volume
(Lecture 1, Slide 30)

Question 20

What is the hearing frequency of humans?

Answer 20

20 Hz (Hertz) - 20 kHz

Question 21

What is the decibel threshold for hearing damage?

Answer 21

85 dB SPL (sound pressure level)
(Lecture 1, Slide 31)

Question 22

What is the decibel threshold for pain?

Answer 22

130 - 140 dB SPL (sound pressure level)
(Lecture 1, Slide 31)

Question 23

What happens after auditory transduction in the cochlea?

Answer 23

Auditory signals propagate through the auditory pathway
(Lecture 1, Slide 38)

Question 24

What are the steps of the audio pathway?

Answer 24

Cochlea > Cochlear nucleus > Superior olivary complex > Medial geniculate body > Auditory cortex
(Lecture 1, Slide 38)

Question 25

What sensory system is the sensory organ of skin in?

Answer 25

The somatosensory system
(Lecture 1, Slide 44)

Question 26

What are the three major types of Somatosensory receptors?

Answer 26

Mechanoreceptors (touch)
Thermoreceptors (temperature)
Nociceptors (pain)
(Lecture 1, Slide 45)

Question 27

What is the dorsal column-medial meniscal pathway in the somatosensory system for?

Answer 27

Touch
(Lecture 1, Slide 47)

Question 28

What does the column-medial meniscal pathway in the somatosensory system consist of?

Answer 28

Dorsal root ganglia (first-order neurons) > Dorsal column nuclei > Ventral posterior nucleus (thalamus) > Primary somatosensory cortex
(Lecture 1, Slide 47)

Question 29

What are the two fibres in the nociceptor system?

Answer 29

A-delta (δ) fibres and C fibres
(Lecture 1, Slide 52)

Question 30

Why can the A-delta fibre send signals quickly?

Answer 30

As it is myelinated
(Lecture 1, Slide 52)

Question 31

Is C fibres myelinated or un-myelinated?

Answer 31

Un-myelinated
(Lecture 1, Slide 52)

Question 32

Why do we have bi-phasic pain perception?

Answer 32

As A-delta fibres send signals quickly whereas C fibres send signals more slowly.
(Lecture 1, Slide 52)

Question 33

What 2 things is the spinothalamic tract pathway in the somatosensory system for?

Answer 33

Nociception (pain) and thermoreceptor (temperature)
(Lecture 1, Slide 53)

Question 34

What does the spinothalamic tract pathway in the somatosensory system consist of?

Answer 34

Dorsa root ganglia > Spinal cord > Ventral posterior nucleus of the thalamus > Primary somatosensory cortex
(Lecture 1, Slide 53)

Question 35

Where are olfactory receptor cells located?

Answer 35

In the nasal epithelium, which is inside the nose
(Lecture 1, Slide 57)

Question 36

What do olfactory receptor cells do?

Answer 36

Provide signals to the olfactory bulb
(Lecture 1, Slide 57)

Question 37

Where are mitral cells located?

Answer 37

In the olfactory bulb
(Lecture 1, Slide 57)

Question 38

Where do mitral cells send their output to?

Answer 38

To multiple brain regions, the the main area being the “piriform” cortex which is an olfactory cortex.
(Lecture 1, Slide 58)

Question 39

What are the 5 modalities in taste reception?

Answer 39

Bitter, Salty, Sweet, Umami (Savoury), Sour
(Lecture 1, Slide 63)

Question 40

What is the gustatory pathway for?

Answer 40

Taste
(Lecture 1, Slide 65)

Question 41

What does the gustatory pathway consist of?

Answer 41

Taste bud > Nucleus of the solitary tract > Ventroposterior medial nucleus > Insular cortex
(Lecture 1, Slide 65)