Chapter 10: Sensory Physiology Slides Flashcards
Sensory Physiology
How we perceive our environment
Three common steps associated with any sense:
1) A physical stimulus
2) Sensory transduction: transformation of sensory input into nerve impulses
3) Formulation of “perception”, or our conscious experience of that sensation
Sensory Transduction
Transformation of sensory input into nerve impulses
Six Sensory Systems
- Somatosensory
- Visual
- Auditory
- Vestibular
- Olfactory
- Gustatory
Four Types of Somatosensory Sense
- Touch
- Proprioception
- Temperature
- Pain
Four Basic Types of Information conveyed by each sensory system
1) Modality of stimulus
2) Intensity of Stimulus
3) Time course of stimulus
4) Location of stimulus
The sensory cells
Some themselves are neurons.
Most sensory cells are specialized epithelial cells that synapse on adjacent sensory neurons
Four functional classes of sensory receptors
1) Mechanoreceptors
2) Chemoreceptors
3) Thermoreceptors
4) Photoreceptors
Sensory Receptors at the protein level
Channels (e.g. stretch receptors)
GPCR’s (e.g. photoreceptors on retina)
Mechanoreceptors
-Stimuli
-Location
Stimuli: pressure, movement
Mechanoreceptors are located in the skin, muscles, and eyes.
Photoreceptors
-Stimuli
-Location
Stimuli: light
Photoreceptors are located in the eyes
Chemoreceptors
-Stimuli
-Location
Stimuli: chemical
Chemoreceptors are found in the nose and mouth.
Thermoreceptors
-Stimuli
-Location
Stimuli: temperature
Location: thermoreceptors are found in the skin
Nocioreceptors
-Stimuli
-Location
Stimuli: pain
Location: Nocioreceptors are found in the skin
Modality
One of the four attributes of a stimulus that is encoded by our nervous system.
Modality refers to what kind of stimulus is coming in.
Is the stimulus light waves or feeling of pressure on the skin?
