PHYS Discriminative Somatic Senses Flashcards
3 types of exteroception.
• Mechanoreception – pressure/touch
• Thermoreception – temperature
• Nocireception – noxious (damaging/potentially damaging stimuli).
Classify rate of activity of mechanoreceptors based on location - deep vs sperficial.
Deep -> more rapidly acting than -> superficial.
Classify duration of action of rapid vs slow acting mechanoreceptors.
Rapid - signals at start & end of deformation
Slow - signals for the duration of the stimulus.
Relationship between receptor field size and perception.
Large RF = tuned to changes in vibration/pressure
Small RF = tuned to changes/perception of fine touch.
Speed of Meissner’s corpuscle.
Rapidly acting (RA I)
Receptor field size of Meissner’s corpscles
Small
Stimuli detected by Meissner’s corpuscles
Movement of light touch/low frequency vibrations over skin [responds best to constantly changing stimuli]
Location of Meissner’s corpuscles
Top of dermis (of non-hairy skin, fingertips & lips).
Speed of Ruffini’s end-organ mechanoreceptors.
Slow adapting.
Receptor field size of Ruffini’s end-organ mechanoreceptors.
Large (responsive to stretch).
Stimuli detected by Ruffini’s end-organ mechanoreceptors.
Stretch in joints & skin.
Location of Ruffini’s end-organ mechanoreceptors.
Mid-dermis (of both hairy & non-hairy skin).
Speed of Merkel’s discs/cells
Slow adapting (SA I)
Receptor field size of Merkel’s discs/cells.
Small.
Stimuli detected by Merkel’s discs/cells.
Low frequency vibration, indentation & texture [responds best to static stimuli].
