Introduction to Sensory Systems Flashcards
What do Sensory Systems do?
They transduce information from the external or internal environment into electrical signals.
What are Sensations?
Transmitting sensory information to the CNS.
What is Perception?
The integration of multi-sensory information within the CNS.
What are Sensors?
Composed of single or multiple sensory cells, react to a stimulus.
What are the two types of sensory receptors?
Sensory receptor neuron [modified afferent neuron, with a trigger zone (no synapse) that triggers generator potential] and Epithelial sensory receptor cell [involves a receptor cell and afferent neuron with a synapse, triggers a receptor potential].
What are Four Common Functions of Senses?
- Detection (absorption)
- Transduction (sensory information into cellular energy)
- Amplification/Filtering of Signal (often through 2nd messengers)
- Electrical Output (Integration/spreading, to CNS)
What is a Phasic Receptor?
Where adaptations occur rapidly.
Example: touch receptors.
What is a Tonic Receptor?
Where adaptation is slow to adapt. Example: stretch muscle receptors.
What do sensory neurons with a small receptive field provide?
More localization of the stimulus.
What does lateral inhibition do?
Important for stimulus localization, lateral inhibition enhances contrast. Only the network directly affected by the stimulus will continue to fire.
What do sensory organs do?
Collect information, filter information (e.g. eyes filter out certain light), and amplify information (e.g. ears amplify low level sounds).
What are Thermoreceptors?
Sensory receptors that detect changes in temperature (e.g. receptors in skin and deep in body).
What are Noicereceptors?
Sensory receptors that detect pain (e.g. heat, cold, pressure, chemicals).
What are Mechanoreceptors?
Sensory receptors that detect mechanical energy (e.g. ears, hair cells, stretch receptors, statocysts).
What are Chemoreceptors?
Sensory receptors that deal with gustation (taste) and olfaction (smell) (e.g. taste buds, insect antennae).
