Neuro - Sensory systems Flashcards
what effects the rate of neurotransmitter release
stimulus strength
amplitude of generator potential
frequency of AP’s in afferent fibres
what are the 2 ways a signal can be transmitted
specialised sensory neurone
specialised epithelial receptor
what is a tonic receptor adapted for
continue to respond to respond for the duration of the stimulus
consistent rate of AP’s
slowly adapting
nociceptors
what are phasic receptors adapted for
burst of AP at onset and end of stimulus
some touch receptors
(feeling your watch only when you put in on and take it off)
what is a dermatome
region of skin innervated by the spinal nerve of a single nerve of a single dorsal root ganglion
where are somatic nerves segmented into
region of the periphery that they innervate
what is a receptive field
area of skin in which stimulation results in a change in rate of AP’s
what is the size of a receptive field dependant on
number of sensory receptor and size of branching of the sensory afferent
what does a higher density of sensory receptors equate to
smaller receptive fields
(your hands have a shit load of receptors so have small receptive fields)
what is two point discrimination
ability to distinguish 2 simultaneously applied stimulants as separate
spatial acuity
function of the dorsal column-medial lemniscal system
transmission pathway for touch to the body
1-3 order neurones transmit to somatosensory cortex
function of the trigeminothalamic system
transmission pathway for touch to the face
via the thalamus
feature of superficial receptors and name 2
high spatial acuity
meissner’s corpuscle
merkel’s disks
features of deep receptors and name 2
low spatial acuity
ruffini’s capsule
pacinian corpuscle
which receptors are phasic
meissner’s corpuscle
pacinian corpuscle
which receptors are tonic
ruffini’s capsule
merkel’s disk
function of the outer ear
amplifies sound pressure at 2-5kHz
localisation of sound source
function of the middle ear
important for amplifying the sound wave
why does the middle ear need to amplify sound
because the inner ear has an aqueous environment that dampens the sound waves