Exam 3 Flashcards
• What is the nature of receptor potentials?
o Graded and generate Aps
• What does increased stimulus intensity do to the AP?
o Enhances amplitude of receptor potential, increasing AP frequency
• What is sensory adaptation?
o Decrease in neural activity with sustained stimulation; conveys rate of change of a stimulus or status of the sensation
• What is rapid adaptation?
o Rapid onset and offset of the stimulus alerting the CNS of a change in sensory movement, “that it occurs”
• What are mechanisms of rapid adaptation?
o Rapid ion channel inactivation decreasing the receptor potential
• What is slow adapting?
o Gradual decrease in receptor activity, but still maintains enough activity to communicate the status of a stimulus, “what is occurring”
• What is mechanism of slow adapting?
o Gradual reduction of receptor potential
• What are two somatic modalities?
o Tactile sensation: touch (pressure, vibration, texture); pain; temp
o Proprioception: jt position, muscle sense, movt
• What are modalities associated with?
o Separate populations of sensory neurons specialized in detecting stimuli of different qualities
• What are the ways axon membrane receptors respond to specific stimuli?
o Indirectly through CT capsules, modified epithelial cells, or hairs
o Directly through the membrane of the free nerve endings
o Each mechanism mediates a different submodality
• What type of channels are sensory receptor proteins?
o Transient Receptor (TRP) ion channels; each responds maximally to one stimulus (“adequate stimulus”) and less to others
• What is the “adequate stimulus”?
o Energy that elicits the greatest response and largely determines which neurons will be responsible for the perception of the sensory “modality”
• What sensations can pain elicit?
o Burning hot or cold
• What is another way modalities can be distinguished?
o Grossly by conduction velocity
• What determines range of AP conduction velocities in nerves?
o Wide range depending on the degree of myelination of the axons they travel along
• Which type of axon has larger total diameter and faster conduction velocity?
o Myelinated, compared to unmyelinated
• What are compound APs?
o Recordings of the summed Aps measured over time at a particular site on the nerve
• What separates velocities of compound APs?
o The further along the nerve you record, more separated
• What do peaks in Compound APs represent?
o Correspond to axonal clusters with different conduction velocities and degrees of myelination
• How are nerve compound APs classifies?
o By either letters or numbers depending on how the original physiology labs classified them
• What are roman numerals or letter used for?
o RN for motor nerves; ABCs for sensory nerves
• Why is the classification of compound Aps arbitrary?
o Nerves typically contain both sensory and motor neurons, so either system can be used
• What are Type I or A nerves? Type IV or C?
o Most myelinated, conduct the fastest
o The slowest
• What are some examples and functions of nerve nomenclature?
o Aa proprioception, motor neuron
o Ab light touch
o Ad fast pain
o C slow pain
How are sensory neuron functions extensively differentiated?
o Muscle spindles, GTOs, flower spray endings, tactile receptors, pain, temp, all with different diameters and conduction velocities
What is the cutaneous receptive field?
o Area of skin innervated by the branches of a single sensory neuron
• How do receptive fields of mechanoreceptors vary in size?
o For different degrees of acuity; peripheral RFs are densely innervated and small in area; proximal ones are less innervated and larger
• What does size and density of RFs provide for CNS?
o Means to locate a stimulus on body; distinguish size and shape of the stimulus; resolve spatial resolution
• What is the specificity of RFs?
o They overlap, but neurons in spinal cord respond to secondary RF consisting of several primary RFs
• How do you maintain specificity?
o Secondary RFs overlap and many spinal neurons that respond to different secondary RFs can discern subtle differences among them
• What mediates tactile sensation? What are its submodalities?
o Cutaneous receptors
o Discriminative touch; non-discriminative touch; temp; pain
• What are receptors generally? What does a stimulus do?
o Either modified non-neural tissue cells or axons themselves
o Ultimately trigger an AP in the axon
• What is discriminative touch?
o Mediated by mechanoreceptors embedded in CT or around hairs
o Each has particular pattern of function, morphology, depth, RF, adaptation
• What classification are merkel cells?
o SA; form, texture: fingers scanning a surface; Ab
• What classification are Ruffini corpuscles?
o SA2; skin stretch; perception of hand shape and position; Ab
• What classification are meissner corpuscles?
o FA; skin movt and slip for grip control; Ab
• What classification are Pacinian corpuscles?
o FA; vibratory stimuli detected through hand held objects; Ab
• What classification are hair follicles?
o FA; motion/direction of tactile stimuli; Ab
• What are the slow adapting mechanoreceptors?
o Merkel cell-neurite complex; Ruffini endings
• What is the merkel cell-neurite complex?
o Clusters of merkel cells in basal layer of epidermis make synapse-like associations with sensory axon terminals; form, texture: fingers scanning a surface
• What are ruffini endings?
o Large and thin spindle-shaped cylinders composed of layers of perineural tissue localized deep in the dermis; skin stretch; perception of hand shape and position
• What are the fast adapting mechanoreceptors?
o Meissner corpuscles, Pacinian corpuscles, hair follicles
• What are meissner corpuscles?
o Lamellar cells (Schwann and CT) embedded in dermis just deep to the epidermis; detect movt across skin
• What are Pacinian corpuscles?
o Onion-shaped lamellar cells encapsulate a single axon ending in the dermis of glabrous skin; high frequency vibration
• What are hair follicles?
o Axons surround base of hair (lanceolate); detect touch
• What is physical structure of Pacinian corpuscle?
o Axon terminal surrounded by capsule: inner core of lamella cells derived from Schwann cells; outer core from fibroblasts
• What is the mechanism of Pacinian corpuscle stimulation?
o Physical pressure creates receptor potential that releases glutamate from either axon or lamellar cells; glutamate triggers AP
• What is the adaptation of Pacinian corpuscles?
Stimulus releases GABA from lamellar cells which rapidly inhibits AP
• Which mechanoreceptors have small RFs?
o Meissner and Merkel- small and concentrated at the fingertips
• Which mechanoreceptors have large RFs?
o Ruffini and Pacinian- large and located over most of region
o Pacinian- located along median and ulnar nerves
o Ruffini- detects stretch in only specific directions
• What is the percentage composition of meissner, merkel, Pacinian, Ruffini (100)?
o 43% meissner; 25% merkel; 19% Ruffini; 13% Pacinian
• What are free nerve endings?
o Mediate the remaining somesthetic modalities; SA, slower conducting, smaller Ad, C type axons; underlie the epidermis or extend into the stratum granulosum
• What is non-discriminative touch?
o High threshold sense of touch; poor localization
• How is temp detected?
o Heat and cold receptors in dermis; SA permits becoming adjusted to hot or cold water
• How is pain detected?
o Slow and fast pain mediated by C and Ad axons that penetrate into epidermis
• What are the SA mechanoreceptors for? Axon type?
o Ad, C; tap, squeeze, rub, skin stretch, on-discriminative touch (high threshold)
• What are thermoreceptors and their axon type?
o SA; Ad, C; hot or cold
• What are mechano-thermal nociceptors?
o SA; Ad; mechanical or thermal tissue damage
• What are polymodal nociceptors?
o SA; C; heat, tissue damage, chemicals (bradykinin, histamine, insect venom)
• What does proprioception involve?
o Somatic sensitivity to the position, location, orientation, and movt of joints, muscles and fascia
• How do proprioceptive receptors mediate muscle/joint position and move?
o Using fast conducting, large axons, like Aa, B
• What are three main types of proprioceptive receptors?
o Skin stretch receptors (Ruffini)
o Jt and fascia receptors detect stretch of CT via Pacinian and Ruffini receptors
o Muscle receptors detect changes in length (spindles) and tension (GTOs)
• How are major categories of perceived somatosensory modalities distinguished?
o Also by their ascending pathways
• Describe the ascending pathways for discriminative touch and proprioception:
o Low threshold mechanoreceptors; rapid AP conduction; dorsal column-lemniscal system; quantitative sense that provides localization of stimulus
• Describe the ascending pathways for non-discriminative touch, pain, temp:
o High threshold free nerve endings; slower AP conduction; anterolateral system; provides qualitative experience of stimulus
• What is the dorsal column-lemniscal system?
o Discriminative touch; proprioception; first, second, and third order neurons convey info through spinal cord, brains stem and thalamus to cerebral cortex
• What do third order neurons do in DCL system?
o Thalamic; Form part of internal capsule; project to primary somatosensory cortex in postcentral gyrus
• What do second order neurons do in DCL system?
o Of cuneate and gracile nuclei; decussate in medulla; axons form medial lemniscus which synapse onto neurons within the thalamus
• What do first order neurons do in DCL system?
o Sensory; Ab; form dorsal columns (cuneate and gracile fasciculi); synapse onto dorsal column (cuneate and gracile) nuclei in medulla
• How do axons of low threshold mechanoreceptors get to brain stem?
o Meissner’s, Pacinian, etc; innervate several segments of spinal cord before entering brains stem
• What happens to axons upon exiting the dorsal root?
o Bifurcate and sprout several collateral axons that arborize in lamina III-V
• Where does the rostral branch extend to?
o Through dorsal columns to synapse onto dorsal column nuclei in medulla
• What happens to caudal branch?
o Ends in a collateral several segments away
• What is the anterolateral system?
o Non-discriminative; pain; temp; only part of it has the neat first, second and third order neuronal pattern seen in the dorsal column-lemniscal system
• Where do sensory (first order) neurons in AL system do?
o Synapse Onto second order dorsal horn neurons using various transmitters: substance P, glutamate, NO
• What are rexed’s lamina in AL system?
o Consist of neuronal groups segregates my modality: Pain (Lamina I,II), Touch (IV)
• How do second order neurons in dorsal horn get to AL system?
o Decussate
• What are 2 anterolateral pathways involving 2nd order neurons?
o Neospinothalamic tract; paleospinothalamic tract
• What is the neospinothalamic tract?
o Projects to lateral thalamus and somatosensory cortex; localization of sensation
• What is the paleospinothalamic tract?
o Projects to reticular formation, medial thalamus and cortex; qualitative aspects of pain, temp and non-discriminative touch
• What are two types of third order neurons in AL system?
o Lateral and medial thalamic neurons
• What are lateral thalamic neurons?
o Project to primary somatosensory cortex; somatotopically arranged (homunculus) for stimulus localization
• What are medial thalamic neurons?
o Project to cingulate gyrus and insula; affective qualities of pain, temp, etc; different MT nuclei generate alerting responses (gets your attention) of the experience of dull, persistent pain
• What is syringomyelia?
o Cysts form in center of cervical grey matter interrupting decussation of AL (spinothalamic) 2nd order neurons
o Lesion affects decussation of both sides leading to bilateral loss of pain and temp (but not discriminative touch or proprioception) from the cervicothoracic area of the body
• What causes Brown-Sequard syndrome?
o Hemisection of spinal cord cuts through dorsal and AL columns on one side
• How is discriminative touch affected in BS syndrome?
o Loss is ipsilateral; sensory neurons ascend without decussation at level of lesion
• How is pain and temp perception affected in Brown-Sequard syndrome?
o Loss is contralateral; 2nd order neurons decussate below level of lesion
• How is motor control affected in Brown-Sequard syndrome?
o Loss is ipsilateral
• What are dermatomes?
o Area of skin (dermis) innervated by one spinal segment
• How have dermatomes been attempted to be mapped?
o Many attempts over last century; all suffer from methodological problems
• Why is it difficult to map dermatomes?
o Overlap considerably
• Which receptor types overlap more or less?
o Greater: touch, pressure, vibration
o Less: pain, temp
• What are the better tests for segmental nerve injury?
o Pain sensations
• What is the latest dermatome map?
o Meta-analysis of all maps
• What is the sensory innervation of the face?
o All by CN V trigeminal; discriminative touch, pain, temp and proprioception
• What do the divisions of trigeminal nerve do?
o Three, each innervates a cavity region plus a dermatome of the face
• What does the ophthalmic division of CN V innervate?
o Orbital cavity; forehead, dorsum of nose
• What does maxillary CN V innervate?
o Nasal cavity; cheek area of face
• What does mandibular CN V innervate?
o Oral cavity; chin, side of face, ear, external acoustic meatus and tympanic membrane; motor to masticators, soft palate
• Describe the path of the trigeminal nerve?
o Projects from pons; ophthalmic division enters face through superior orbital fissure; maxillary at foramen rotundum; mandibular at foramen ovale
• Where do cutaneous branches of CN V exit?
o From several foramina: supraorbital, infraorbital, mental, etc
• What are the sensory and motor functional components (nuclei) of CN V?
o Principal (main, chief) sensory nucleus- discriminative touch from face
o Spinal trigeminal nucleus- pain and temp from face
o Mesencephalic nucleus- proprioception from masticators mediate muscle reflexes
o Motor nucleus- motor to masticating muscles
• Where do sensory nuclei of CN V project to?
o VPM of thalamus; then to cerebral cortex
• What do dermatomes of trigeminal depend on?
o Vary by modality; discriminative touch mediated by the principal nucleus is arranged in traditionally depicted dermatomes
• How are pain and temperature of CN V mediated?
o By spinal trigeminal nucleus, represented in an onion skin fashion
o Lowest levels of nucleus (in upper cervical cord and lower medulla) represent peripheral areas of the face (scalp, ears, chin)
o Higher levels (in upper medulla) represent more central areas (nose, cheeks, lips)
o Highest levels (in pons) represent mouth, teeth, pharyngeal cavity
• What do the 6 cell layers of the cerebral cortex do?
o Receive incoming info and form meaningful spatiotemporal patterns that are projected to other cortical areas, as well as to limbic system, brain stem and spinal cord
• What are stellate cells?
In layer IV of cerebral cortex; Receive sensory input from the thalamus
What are pyramidal cells?
o In layer V project info to other regions of CNS
• What are interneurons?
o Form intricate circuits that generate excitatory and inhibitory patterns of neural activity
• What are Brodmann’s areas?
o Areas of cortex have characteristic sells that are histologically distinguishable; each area has been numbered and is used for anatomical identification of functional areas
• What if fMRI used for?
Visualize brain activity in response to ongoing mental and physical activity
Describe an fMRI of the cerebral cortex in terms of green, red and yellow areas:
o Green: active while subjects remembered into presented visually
o Red: active while they remembered info presented aurally
o Yellow: active for both types of activity
• How does MRI work?
o Protons spin around their axes, creating individual magnetic fields with random directions
o When vertical mag field is applied to tissue the protons create a net vertical magnetic field
o A horizontal radio frequency pulse makes the protons precess around their vertical axes
o This creates a changing magnetic field and an electric current that is measured in MRI
o The net magnetic field can be divided into a vertical and a horizontal component
o MRI measures the changes in these two component as the protons respond to the applied magnetic fields and radio frequency pulses
• How does MRI work with a subject?
o Subject is placed in vertical mag field; with protons aligned vertically, a horizontal radio frequency pulse causes the protons to rotate in the horizontal plane synchronously, or “in phase,” with one another
o The horizontal pulse is then turned off and the rotating protons begin to move out of phase with one another, losing horizontal
o After withdrawal of the horizontal pulse the protons realign with the vertical mag field, with restoration of vertical magnetization
o This “righting” of the protons occurs more slowly than the dephasing and is measured indirectly. the time constant of the recovery of longitudinal magnetization is T1
• What do scanning hydrogen ions provide?
o Overall map of the brain: magnetic gradients permit division of brain into “slices”
o Pixels represent the concentration of ubiquitous hydrogen ions (H+, protons)
• What is BOLD?
o Used in fMRI; blood oxygen level detection; to measure neutrally related blood flow
• What happens when neuronal activity increases?
o There is an increased demand for oxygen and the local response is an increase in blood flow
• What are the different magnetic properties of hemoglobin in regards to oxidation state? How is this used?
o Diamagnetic when oxygenated; paramagnetic when deoxygenated
o This difference leads to small differences in the MR signal of blood depending on the degree of oxygenation
o Used to detect brain activity (which uses oxygen)
• What is the thalamus?
o Pair of oval shaped clusters of nuclei in the diencephalon; lie on each side of the third ventricle; project axons to all areas of cortex
• What are thalamo-cortical connections?
o Each Nuclei of thalamus projects axons with sensory, motor ,or integrated neural info to cerebral cortex; VPL/VPM projects to primary SS cortex
• What forms the primary somatosensory cortex (SI)?
o Postcentral gyrus
• How does SS info enter SI cortex?
o Via VPL (body) and VPM (head) nuclei of the thalamus
• What does VPL and VPM stand for?
o Ventro-posterior lateral and medial
• Where do VPL and VPM receive input?
o VPL: from dorsal column-lemniscal and AL pathways
o VPM: from head via trigeminal nerve
• What is the general purpose of primary and secondary SS cortices?
o Elaborate and contextualize sensory info into meaningful experiences
• What are the neurons of cortical columns
o Have similar sensory receptive properties, ie modality and RFs, cluster together into 300-600 um wide columns perpendicular to the surface
• What do columns represent?
o Several columns form arrays that will map different body area or sensory modalities
• What does each level of somatosensory system generate?
o A particular spatiotemporal pattern of neural activity across large populations of neurons
• What does a horizontal line mean in a tracing of neural activity?
o A tracing of a single neuron activity over time from left to right
• What do sensory trigeminal nuclei show in a tracing?
o Simple excitatory responses to stimulus
• What do thalamus and cortex show in a tracing?
o Various oscillating patterns of excitatory and inhibitory activity within the long duration responses across a population of neurons
• What is somatotopy?
o Homunculus; contiguous areas of the body are represented within cortex in proportion to the density of sensory receptors in that area of the body
• How are high and low density area of homunculus represented?
o High (mouth and hand) are large; low (the back) are smaller; evolutionary changes from face to limbs
• Where does somatotopy occur?
o In most areas of the CNS including the spinal cord, brains stem, thalamus and cerebral cortex
• How is each area of the body mapped along the SS cortex?
o Multiply; Ex: all five digits, highlighted in different colors, map across slightly different regions of SI
• How are whisker area of rodents represented on cortical columns?
o Each area is a cortical column that receives input from a single whisker; cortical activity in response to movt of a single whisker spreads out from a specific cortical column out toward neighboring columns
• Where does SS neural activity begin and travel?
o Starts in local homuncular spot, but expands outward; arcuate fibers b/w cortical areas spread the activity outward asymmetrically
• What is cortical plasticity?
o Cortical sensory representation changes with experience and learning (plasticity)