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Human Physiology > lecture 11: senses > Flashcards

lecture 11: senses Flashcards

1
Q

how many steps are there for sensations

A

2

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2
Q

describe step 1 of sensations

A

sensory receptors detect and transduce different forms of energy into nerve impulses
nerve impulses travel to different regions of the brain along sensory neurons

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3
Q

describe step 2 of sensations

A

perception = awareness and interpretation of sensation

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4
Q

name all types of sensory receptors (5)

A

mechanoreceptors
nocioreceptors
thermoreceptors
chemoreceptors
photoreceptors

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5
Q

what do mechanoreceptors do

A

respond to mechanical energy

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6
Q

how are sensory receptors characterized

A

by the type of energy they transduce

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7
Q

describe mechanoreceptors (specifics)

A

muscle spindles that respond to stretching
hair cells in inner ear detect motion

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8
Q

what do nocioreceptors do

A

respond to different types of pain

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9
Q

what do thermoreceptors do

A

respond to heat and cold

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10
Q

what do chemoreceptors do

A

respond to chemical stimuli

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11
Q

what do photoreceptors do

A

respond to radiation (visible light)

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12
Q

describe nocioreceptors (specifics)

A

prostaglandins increase pain by decreasing a pain’s receptor threshold
making an action potential more likely

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13
Q

how to anti inflammatories like advil work to reduce pain

A

block prostaglandins

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14
Q

name types of chemoreceptors

A

specific
general

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15
Q

describe general chemoreceptors

A

respond to total solute concentration
ex = osmoreceptors in hypothalamus

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16
Q

describe specific chemoreceptors

A

respond to specific types of molecules

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17
Q

name the types of specific chemoreceptors and describe

A

internal chemoreceptors = glucose, oxygen, carbon dioxide, amino acids, etc
external chemoreceptors = gustatory and olfactory receptors

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18
Q

where do sensory receptors send the information

A

central nervous system

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19
Q

sensory receptors can be

A

part of sensory neuron
ORRRR
a sensory receptor cell that transmits message to a sensory neuron

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20
Q

describe seeing (3 statements)

A

humans have single lens eye
70% of body’s sensory receptors in eye
almost half of cerebral cortex involved in visual processing

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21
Q

name all parts of the eye

A

sclera
conjunctiva
cornea
choroid
iris
ciliary body
pupil
aqueous humour
vitreous humour

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22
Q

what is glaucoma

A

any increase in pressure on optic nerve
ex = increased amount of aqueous humour

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23
Q

what do lens, aqueous humour and vitreous humour do

A

work together to focus light into retina

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24
Q

what do ciliary muscles do

A

change the shape of the lens to focus on objects at different distances

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25
Q

what happens to lens when looking at a distant object

A

lens flattens

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26
Q

what happens to lens when looking at a near object

A

lens is rounded

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27
Q

describe sclera

A

tough white layer of connective tissue that covers all of eyeball (except cornea)

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28
Q

describe function of sclera

A

protects/shapes eyeball
anchors extrinsic eye muscles
continuous with dura mater of brain

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29
Q

describe conjunctiva

A

transparent mucous membrane that covers anterior sclera and under eyelid

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30
Q

what is function of conjunctiva

A

lubrication

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31
Q

describe cornea

A

transparent covering in front of eye

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32
Q

what is function of cornea

A

allows passage of light

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33
Q

describe choroid

A

thin
pigmented layer
lines the interior surface of sclera

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34
Q

describe function of choroid

A

prevents light rays from scattering and distorting image
forms the iris (continuation of choroid)

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35
Q

describe iris

A

coloured part of eye
“formed” by choroid

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36
Q

what is function of iris

A

controls size of pupil

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37
Q

describe ciliary body

A

smooth muscle bundles
continuous with choroid
attaches to lens

38
Q

what is function of ciliary body

A

controls shape of lens

39
Q

describe pupil

A

central opening

40
Q

what is function of pupil

A

regulates amount of light entering eye

41
Q

what do lens and ciliary body do

A

separate eye into 2 cavities

42
Q

name the 2 cavities eye is separated into

A

anterior cavity
posterior cavity

43
Q

describe anterior cavity of eye

A

filled with aqueous humour
(produced by ciliary body)

44
Q

describe posterior cavity of eye

A

filled with vitreous humour

45
Q

why does hot food smell more

A

a hot thing has more volatile molecules to bind to receptors in nose

46
Q

describe the retina

A

contains photoreceptors - rods and cones

47
Q

what is the blindspot

A

on retina
optic disc where optic nerve attaches

48
Q

describe rods

A

light sensitive cells
do not distinguish colour
allow us to see at night but only in black and white

49
Q

describe cones

A

not as light sensitive as rods
sensitive to colour
highly concentrated on fovea

50
Q

TRUE OR FALSE: there are more rod cells than cone cells

51
Q

what types of photoreceptors are on the fovea

A

only cone cells
area of retina without rod cells

52
Q

describe visual pathway

A

retina –> optic nerves –> optic chiasm (crossing of nerves) –> optic tracts –> thalamus –> primary visual cortex (occipital lobe)

53
Q

name the general parts of the ear

A

outer ear
middle ear
inner ear

54
Q

describe outer ear

A

external pinna and auditory canal

55
Q

describe function of outer ear

A

collects sound waves and channels them to tympanic membrane

56
Q

describe middle ear

A

3 bones
malleus, incus, stapes

57
Q

describe pathway of middle ear

A

tympanic membrane –> malleus –> incus –> stapes –> oval window –> inner ear

58
Q

describe inner ear

A

contains cochlea - houses within the temporal bone of skull

59
Q

what does the cochlea do

A

converts sound waves into action potentials that travel along the auditory nerve

60
Q

describe cochlear duct

A

organ of corti rests on basilar membrane
tectorial membrane rests on the hair cells of the organ of corti

61
Q

describe pathway of cochlear duct

A

vibrations are transmitted to the cochlear fuid from the middle ear via the oval window –> basilar membrane vibrates –> hair cells brush against tectorial membrane –> action potential in sensory neuron

62
Q

describe pathway of hearing

A

cochlea –> auditory nerve –> medulla oblongata –> thalamus –> primary auditory cortex (temporal lobe)

63
Q

name the 2 parts of equilibrium in inner ear

A

vestibule
2 semicircular canals

64
Q

describe vestibule

A

contains utricle and saccule
tells you which way is up and if you are accelerating

65
Q

describe the 3 semicircular canals

A

detect head rotation

66
Q

how many steps to the mechanism of inner ear equilibrium

67
Q

describe step 1 of mechanism for equilibrium

A

hair cells project into a gelatinous material

68
Q

describe step 2 of mechanism for equilibrium

A

change in head position causes hairs to bend

69
Q

describe step 3 of mechanism for equilibrium

A

bending hairs causes an action potential to be generated in a sensory neuron

70
Q

what do utricle/saccule also contain (mechanism for equilibrium step 1)

A

otoliths (tiny CaCO3 stones) that respond to gravitational force

71
Q

TRUE OR FALSE: perceptions of taste and smell are not interrelated

A

FALSE
they are interrelated - affect each other

72
Q

where are taste receptors located

A

taste buds on the surface of the tongue

73
Q

describe characteristics of taste receptors

A

each one responds to a wide array of chemicals
pattern of taste receptor response determines what flavour is perceived

74
Q

taste buds in all regions of the tongue contain

A

sensory receptors for the five taste types

75
Q

name the 5 types of taste

A

sweet
salty
bitter
umami
sour

76
Q

is there a sixth taste

A

long chain fatty acids from lipids ?

77
Q

explain the sweet taste

A

sugars
saccharin
alcohol
some amino acids
some lead salts
miraculin

78
Q

explain the salty taste

A

metal ions like NaCl

79
Q

explain the sour taste

A

hydrogen ions in solution

80
Q

explain the bitter taste

A

alkaloids like quinine, nicotine, caffeine

81
Q

explain the umami taste

A

amino acid glutamate and aspartate
(msg = monosodium glutamate)

82
Q

how does taste work

A

binding of tastant depolarizes cell membrane of gustatory receptor cells casing the release of a neurotransmitter
neurotransmitter binds to dendrites of sensory neuron, initiating a nerve impulse (travels along sensory neuron to CNS)

83
Q

what do different gustatory receptor cells have

A

different thresholds for activation
ex = bitter receptors are more sensitive but adapt quickly ~3-5 seconds (evolutionary process - bitter things usually are poison or toxic, sweet = safe)

84
Q

describe taste pathway

A

taste bud –> cranial nerves –> medulla –> thalamus –> gustatory cortex (insular lobe and frontal lobe)

85
Q

what is a tastant

A

food chemical

86
Q

what is olfaction

87
Q

what do olfactory receptor neurons do

A

line upper potion of nasal cavity and act as chemoreceptor

88
Q

what to odorant molecules bind to

A

olfactory receptors in membrane of olfactory neurone
initiates action potential

89
Q

what do olfactory receptor neurons synapse with

A

neurons in olfactory bulbs

90
Q

what does each olfactory neuron have

A

one type of receptor that binds to one type of molecule

91
Q

describe smell pathway

A

olfactory receptor –> olfactory bulb –> olfactory tract –> olfactory cortex (temporal lobe)

Human Physiology (17 decks)

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