lecture 7: sensory physiology

Question 1

somatic sensation

Answer 1

sensation from the skin, muscles, bones, tendons and joints
* initiated by a variety of sensory receptors collectively called somatic receptors

Question 2

receptor potential

Answer 2

graded potentials generated by sensory neurons

Question 3

rapidly adapting sensory receptors

Answer 3

fire in short bursts in response to a change in stimulus

Question 4

slowly adapting receptor

Answer 4

continuously responds to stimulus, slower AP

Question 5

lateral inhibition

Answer 5

enables the localization of a stimulus site for some sensory systems
* enhances the contrast between the center and periphery of a stimulated region, thereby increasing the brain’s ability to localize a sensory input

Question 6

descending pathways can __ or __ pain perception

Answer 6

increase, decrease

Question 7

pain is transmitted from

Answer 7

somatic sites to the brain by an ascending pathway of at least three neurons

Question 8

descending pathways

Answer 8

• body’s natural ability to modulate pain
• release endogenous opioids and other inhibitory neurotransmitters
• targeted by opioid drugs such as morphine

Question 9

visceral and somatic pain pathways converge to produce

Answer 9

referred pain

Question 10

stretching of tip links

Answer 10

causes opening of K+ channels
* ECF has high K+ volume in the ear

Question 11

early parts of the cochlea tranduce high or low frequency of sound

Answer 11

high

Question 12

end of the cochlea tranduces high or low frequency sound

Answer 12

low