Chapter 3.10-3.13 Flashcards
Taste buds
specialized receptor cells in the mouth, lining the wall of papillae bumps, responsible for taste
Each bud has around 20 receptors and operate like those in the neural synapse
Gustation
the sense of taste
5 Basic Tastes (process and names for 5th)
All tastes sensations are processed all over the tongue
1) Sweet
2) Sour
3) Salty
4) Bitter
5*) Umami: Ikeda and supported by Lindemann, glutamate, pleasant flavor in food
Possible 6th: degusts (fatty acids)
Gustatory Cortex (location)
located in the front of the insula and frontal operculum, controls the conscious perception of taste
Somatosensory Cortex (location)
located in the Parietal lobe, processes the texture and “mouth-feel” of food
Taste Takeaways (2)
1) the Limbic system is involved, leading to our positive and negative associations with taste
2) Preferences and perception of taste depends on compounding factors
Olfaction
ability to smell odors and scents
Outer nose
funnels sensory information
Olfactory Receptor Cells (location, lifecycle, and features)
top of the nasal passages, they transduce odors into neural signals. They die every 5-8 weeks and are replaced
Each ORC has cilia, hairlike structures, that are stimulated by molecules of substances
Olfactory Bulbs
two bulb-like projections of the brain located at the top of the sinus cavity that receive information from the Olfactory Receptor Cells
Final process
information is sent to the primary olfactory cortex, the orbifrontal cortex, and the amygdala (which play a role in our emotional responses)
Somesthetic senses (30
the body senses, consisting of:
1) the skin senses
2) the kinesthetic and proprioceptive senses
3) the vestibular senses
Pacinian Corpuscles
receptors just beneath the surface of our skin that respond to changes in pressure
Free Nerve Endings
receptors that respond to changes in temperature and painful pressure
Visceral pain
pain in the organs
Somatic pain
pain in the skin, muscles, tendons, and joints. These represent the body’s warning system, and the pain is usually sharp.
Can be an ache, serving as a reminder system of an existing injury.
Gate-Control Theory (names and explanation)
Melzack and Wall, pain signals must pass through a gate in the spinal cord, which can be closed by non-pain signals. The gate represents the relative balance of neural activities.
Substance P
neurotransmitter and neuromodulator released by stimulation of pain receptor cells that activates other neurons through the spinal gates. This activates cells in Thalamus, Somatosensory Cortex, Areas of the Frontal Lobe, and the Limbic System.
Endorphins
neuropeptides that control the bodies pain levels. Endorphins can inhibit the transmission of pain signals to the brain and release of Substance P
Congenital Analgesia and CIPA
disorder that prevents the feeling of pain
Phantom Limb Pain
limb pain in amputees either due to the trauma of amputation or maladaptive neuroplasticity (reorganization of the somatosensory cortex
Kinesthetic Sense
awareness in body movement, i.e triggered by changes in skin stretching
Proprioceptive Sense
awareness of where the body parts are and their relation to each other in space and the ground
Vestibular Sense
sense of balance that is controlled by inner-ear structures, relaying information about proximity to the ground and head movement
Vestibular organs (2)
1) Otolith Organs: tiny sacs above the Cochlea filled with gelatin and crystals that respond to head movement
2) Semicircular Canals: 3 circular tubes filled with fluid that stimulate hairlike structures when rotated (3D movement)
Sensory Conflict Theory
theory for explaining motion sickness as conflict in information collected from the eyes and vestibular organs
This explains why focusing on a distant object helps us balance, as it aligns our sensory and visual inputs
Biofeedback
using feedback from biological conditions to bring involuntary responses (blood pressure) under voluntary control
