Chapter 50: Sensory and Motor Mechanisms Flashcards
sensory receptors
neurons or regulate neurons; different types respond to different stimuli
chemoreceptors
bind molecules, initiate change in membrane potential
mechanoreceptors
deformed or moved to sense pressure, stretch, motion, etc
electromagnetic receptors
detect light, electricity, magnetism, etc.
thermoreceptors
detect heat and cold
nociceptors
detect ‘pain’ like extreme pressure, chemicals, etc.
4 stages of getting a stimulus to the brain
receptions, transduction, transmission, perception
reception
sensory cells detects stimulus
transduction
conversion of stimulus to receptor potential; magnitude varies with intensity of stimulus
transmission
strength of stimulus modulates frequency of action potential; integration/processing
perception
central nervous system (brain) processing of input from sensory neurons
modifications of transduction
amplification-strengthening of stimulus; adding energy
adaptation-becoming unresponsive to constant stimulation
gustation
detection of tastants in solution by chemoreceptors; taste buds recognize sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and savory
olfaction
smell; detection of odorants in air by chemoreceptors
hearing and balance
based on mechanoreceptors and closely related
conversion of waves in air to fluid
outer ear: tympanic membrane (eardrum) vibrates
middle ear: three tiny bones transmit vibrations
inner ear: cochlea receives vibrations
vestibular canal
waves flow down vestibular canal, cause vibrations that stimulate hair cells
volume
magnitude of the vibrations
pitch
frequency of waves; basilar membrane has varying thickness, different parts vibrate in response to different pitches
lateral line system
mechanoreceptors for detecting low frequency vibrations (like small hairs in ears of mammals)
hearing in fish
no outer ears; vibrations pass from water, through body
hearing in insects
hairs on their bodies that vibrate, tuned to specific frequencies
statocysts
chamber surrounded by ciliated cells, statoliths move around as body moves to sense gravity
balance
associated with ears; inner ear has utricle (horizontal) and saccule (vertical) chambers lined with hair cells and little stones (otoliths); tilting your head causes the stones to move
semicircular canals
detect angular motion, oriented in 3 planes
photoreceptors
cells that detect light