General & Special Senses Flashcards
What are the general senses?
- Touch
- Pain
- Temperature
- Proprioception
- Vibration
- Pressure
What are general sense?
Senses that are widely distributed throughout the body.
What are special senses?
Senses that are processed by specialised sensory organs
What are the special senses?
- Vision (sight)
- Audition (hearing)
- Equilibrium (balance)
- Olfaction (smell)
- Gustation (taste)
What does the vestibular system consist of?
- Semicircular canals (for rotational movements)
- Utricle and saccule (for linear movements + gravity)
Where does the vestibular system send signals to?
- Cerebellum (for coordination & motor control).
- Brainstem & spinal cord (for postural reflexes via vestibulospinal tracts).
- Oculomotor system (to stabilize vision via the vestibulo-ocular reflex).
- Thalamus & cerebral cortex (for conscious perception of head position).
What does the integrated system of the vestibular pathway allow?
Allows us to maintain:
- Balance
- Posture
- Spatial awareness in different environments
Why can neurological conditions impair special senses?
Due to damage in sensory organs, nerves, or brain regions involved in processing sensory info
Which neurological conditions can affect vision?
- Stroke
- MS
- PD
- Brain tumours
Which neurological conditions can affect hearing?
- Stroke
- MS
Which neurological conditions can affect balance & equilibrium?
- Vestibular neuritis
- Cerebellar stroke (Ataxia)
- PD
- MS
- Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)
Which neurological conditions can affect smell?
- PD (early sign)
- Alzheimer’s
- Head trauma
- Frontal lobe tumours
Which neurological conditions can affect taste?
- Bell palsy
- Stroke
- PD
- MS
- Head trauma
What are common symptoms of pathologies/effected vision?
- Blurred vision
- Double vision
- Visual field loss
What are common symptoms of pathologies/effected hearing?
- Hearing loss
- Tinnitus
- Difficulty processing speech
What are common symptoms of pathologies/effected balance & equilibrium?
- Vertigo
- Dizziness
- Ataxia
What are common symptoms of pathologies/effected smell?
- Loss of smell
- Distorted smell
What are common symptoms of pathologies/effected taste?
- Loss of taste
- Altered taste perception
What is the function of the Merkel Disc?
Light touch
What is the function of the Muscle Spindle?
Muscle Stretch
What is the function of the Golgi Tendon Organ?
Muscle Tension
What is the function of the free nerve ending?
- Temperature
- Pain
What is the function of the Pacinian corpuscle?
Pressure
