Neuro - Week 1 Flashcards
What types of Stimulus do general sensory receptors encode? (4)
1) Quality: brush, pressure, vibration, temperature, pain
2) Intensity: light stroke vs. intense pressure
3) Duration:
4) Location:
What is a Receptive Field?
Area in periphery (ex. skin) where an adequate stimulus causes a response in a neuron.
How does a sensory neuron encode intensity? (2)
Rate Code: Frequency of AP’s firing per neuron. The more action potentials firing, the higher the intensity
Spatial Summation Code: Number of neurons firing. The more neurons firing, the higher the intensity
What factors influence conduction velocity? (2)
1) AXON DIAMETER (higher = faster)
2) MYELINATION (thicker = faster)
Which fibers have the LARGEST myelin and FASTEST conduction? (2)
1) A alpha fibers: muscle spindle
2) A beta fibers: light touch, vibration, pressure
Which fibers have THIN myelin and MEDIUM conduction? (1)
A delta fibers: Nociceptors (fast pain), cooling receptors
Which fibers are UNMYELINAED and have the SLOWEST conduction? (1)
Nociceptors (slow pain) and warm receptors
What is a Remap Bundle?
a bundle of Nociceptors
What would a Compound AP from a nerve look like if there was a loss of access to a particular nerve fiber?
The magnitude of the peak corresponding to the fiber that has damage would be reduced.
What would a Compound AP from a nerve look like if there was a decrease in the conduction velocity of a fiber?
The peak corresponding to the fiber that has damage would shift to the right.
What would most likely cause a decrease in conduction velocity of a nerve?
De-myelination. Diseases that cause this include Diabetes, Herpes Zoster. and Guillian-Barre
What are the CHARACTERISTICS and PURPOSE of a SLOWLY ADAPTING response?
Characteristics: Fires throughout stimulus: Sustained, unchanging stimulus
Purpose: Pressure and the Shape of Objects
What are the CHARACTERISTICS and PURPOSE of a RAPIDLY ADAPTING response?
Characteristics: Fires only when stimulus changes: Fires at the beginning and end of stimulus
Purpose: Impact, motion of objects, on/off stimuli
What does SPATIAL RESOLUTION depend on? (2)
1) Receptive field size (smaller = more sensitive and higher spatial resolution)
2) Innervation Density
What is a 2-point discrimination threshold?
Minimum distance between two detectable stimuli
What are the characteristics of MECHANORECEPTORS? (4)
1) Very sensitive to force (low threshold)
2) Doesn’t respond to painful stmiuli
3) Silent without stimulation (doesn’t fire without stimulation)
4) Myelinated axons (fast conduction velocity)
What are 5 types of mechanoreceptors?
1) Merkel Disks
2) Meisnner’s corpuscles
3) Ruffini corpuscles
4) Pacinian Corpuscles
5) Hair follicle receptors
What are the following characteristics of MERKEL DISKS?
Type of information encoded?
Fine touch, 2 point discrimination, resolution of texture (bumpy vs smooth)
What are the following characteristics of MERKEL DISKS?
Receptive field characteristics (size, number, name)?
Several small, sensitive spots called “Touch Domes”
What are the following characteristics of MERKEL DISKS?
Location and skin level?
superficial, high density in finger tips, lips and mouth
What are the following characteristics of MERKEL DISKS?
Adaption Response?
Slowly adapting response and the number of action potentials indicates indentation force
What are the following characteristics of MERKEL DISKS?
Axon characteristics?
Myelinated, several disks are innervated by a single axon
What are the following characteristics of MEISSNER’S CORPUSCLES?
Type of information encoded?
Type of information encoded: Fine touch, 2-point discrimination, senses abrupt changes in edges, bumps, corners of objects
What are the following characteristics of MEISSNER’S CORPUSCLES?
Receptive field characteristics (size, number, name)?
single spot
What are the following characteristics of MEISSNER’S CORPUSCLES?
Location?
superficial, glabrous skin only, high density in finger tips, lips, mouth
What are the following characteristics of MEISSNER’S CORPUSCLES?
Adaption Response?
Rapidly adapting response. Number of action potentials fired indicates the number of times the skin is indented
What are the following characteristics of MEISSNER’S CORPUSCLES?
Axon characteristics?
Myelinated, terminal fiber wraps around epithelium so force is easily sensed
What are the following characteristics of RUFFINI CORPUSCLES?
Type of information encoded?
Type of information encoded: Stretch of skin, sense gravity force against skin
What are the following characteristics of RUFFINI CORPUSCLES?
Receptive field characteristics (size, number, name)?
Receptive field: Large and diffuse
What are the following characteristics of RUFFINI CORPUSCLES?
Location?
Location: superficial, Deep in the dermis
What are the following characteristics of RUFFINI CORPUSCLES?
Adaption Response?
Adaption Response: slowly adapting response to skin stretch
What are the following characteristics of RUFFINI CORPUSCLES?
Axon characteristics?
Type of information encoded: Stretch of skin, sense gravity force against skin
Axon Characteristics: Axon is myelinated, axon surrounds collagen fibrils
What are the following characteristics of PACINIAN CORPUSCLES?
Type of information encoded?
Type of information encoded: Tiny (low indentation), high frequency vibrations. Tuning fork, violin string
What are the following characteristics of PACINIAN CORPUSCLES?
Receptive field characteristics (size, number, name)?
Receptive field: Very Large, diffuse
What are the following characteristics of PACINIAN CORPUSCLES?
Location?
Location: deep in skin
What are the following characteristics of PACINIAN CORPUSCLES?
Adaption Response?
Adaption Response: Slowly Adapting response
What are the following characteristics of PACINIAN CORPUSCLES?
Axon characteristics?
Axon Characteristics: Myelinated Axon. A large fluid-filled capsule is wrapped around a bare nerve ending
What is the optimal frequency and indentation of a Pacinian Corpuscle?
Frequency: 300 hz
Indentation: close to zero
What is the optimal frequency and indentation of a Meissner’s corpuscle?
Frequency: 50 hz
Indentation: 50 microns
What are the following characteristics of a HAIR FOLLICLE RECEPTOR?
Type of information encoded?
Type of information encoded: Velocity of hair movements
What are the following characteristics of a HAIR FOLLICLE RECEPTOR?
Receptive field characteristics (size, number, name)?
Receptive field: axon wraps around base of follicle
What are the following characteristics of a HAIR FOLLICLE RECEPTOR?
Adaption Response?
Adaption Response: Rapidly adapting response
What are the following characteristics of a HAIR FOLLICLE RECEPTOR?
Axon characteristics?
Axon Characteristics: Myelinated
What are the following characteristics of a HAIR FOLLICLE RECEPTOR?
Type of information encoded?
Receptive field characteristics (size, number, name)?
Adaption Response?
Axon characteristics?
Type of information encoded: Velocity of hair movements
Receptive field: axon wraps around base of follicle
Adaption Response: Rapidly adapting response
Axon Characteristics: Myelinated
Which receptors are the best, and second best, at distinguishing spacing?
1st: Merkel disks
2nd: Meissner’s corpuscle
What is the Spatial Summation Code:
Overall picture in brain due to sum of information from the pattern of activation of different fibers.
What are the following characteristics of a COOLING receptor?
Type of information encoded?
Type of information encoded: Cooling of skin
What are the following characteristics of a COOLING receptor?
Receptive field characteristics (size, number, name)?
Receptive field: very small
What are the following characteristics of a COOLING receptor?
Location?
Location: Infrequent distribution
What are the following characteristics of a COOLING receptor?
Adaption Response?
Adaption Response: At physiological temperature, the axon fires at 1 hz continuously. When cooled, action potential frequency increases and are rapidly adapting. Speed of cooling is indicated by frequency of action potentials.
When heated, action potentials decrease in frequency.
What are the following characteristics of a COOLING receptor?
Axon characteristics?
Axon Characteristics: free nerve ending and thinly myelinated (Adelta)
What are the following characteristics of a WARMING receptor?
Type of information encoded?
Receptive field characteristics (size, number, name)?
Adaption Response?
Axon characteristics?
Type of information encoded: Warming of skin
Receptive field: very small
Adaption Response: At physiological temperature, the axon fires at 1 hz continuously. When warmed, action potential frequency increases and are rapidly adapting. Speed of warming is indicated by frequency of action potentials.
When cooled, action potentials decrease in frequency.
Axon Characteristics: free nerve ending and unmyelinated (C fiber)
What is the optimal range for a WARMING RECEPTOR?
33-42 degrees C
What are the following characteristics of a WARMING receptor?
Axon characteristics?
free nerve ending and unmyelinated (C fiber)
What are the following characteristics of a WARMING receptor?
Type of information encoded?
Type of information encoded: Warming of skin
What are the following characteristics of a WARMING receptor?
Receptive field characteristics (size, number, name)?
Receptive field: very small
What are the following characteristics of a WARMING receptor?
Adaption Response?
Adaption Response: At physiological temperature, the axon fires at 1 hz continuously. When warmed, action potential frequency increases and are rapidly adapting. Speed of warming is indicated by frequency of action potentials.
When cooled, action potentials decrease in frequency.
What are the types of Nociceptors? (2)
1) A-mechanonociceptor
2) C Polymodal Nociceptors
What are the following characteristics of a A-mechanonociceptor?
Type of information encoded?
Responds to intense force and intense heat. Causes fast pain (sharp, shootng, electrical pricking pain and easy to localize pain)
Includes pain when you stub toe, hit thumb, or and under very hot water
What are the following characteristics of a A-mechanonociceptor?
Adaption Response?
Slowly adapting response. Only responds to intense force. Frequency of action potential determines strength of force.
What are the following characteristics of a A-mechanonociceptor?
Receptor Field?
Small receptor field
What are the following characteristics of a A-mechanonociceptor?
Axon characteristics?
Free nerve endings and axon is myelinated (A-Delta fibers)
What are the following characteristics of a C Polymodal nociceptors?
Type of information encoded?
Intense force, high heat (above 45 degrees.) Also responds to chemicals (bradykinin, prostaglandins, histamine, acid)
Slow pain, long lasting, burning, aching, dull pain and it is difficult to localize.
Begins responding at less heat than A mechanoneceptors and can desensitize to high heat.
What are the following characteristics of a C Polymodal nociceptors?
Adaption response?
Slowly adapting response. Only responds to intense force. Frequency of action potential determines strength of force.
What are the following characteristics of a C Polymodal nociceptors?
Axon Characteristics?
Axon is unmyelinated (C fiber.) Free nerve endings that are accessible to inflammatory chemicals
Where are the cell bodies of the 1st neuron of the dorsal column located?
The Dorsal Root Ganglia
What type of information do the peripheral processes of the 1st neuron of the dorsal column encode?
Sensory information from mechanoreceptors
Where does the 1st neuron of the dorsal column terminate?
In dorsal column nuclei (either nucleus gracilis or nucleus cuneatus)
Where are the cell bodies of the 2nd neuron in the dorsal column? (what nucleus and what level of the CNS) (2)
In either:
1) Nucleus gracilis
or
2) Nucleus cuneatus
At the level of the caudal medulla or upper spinal cord
Which neuron of the dorsal column decussates and where does this occur?
The 2nd neuron decussates in the caudal medulla