Senses and Perceptions Flashcards
What is tactile information do we need to know?
Quality of stimulus; magnitude, intensity; duration, timing; location
How do we convert a stimulus into an electrical action potential and how is the information transmitted?
Specific sensory receptors
Specific sensory pathways
What type of neurotransmitter is glutamate?
Excitatory
Describe a typical sensory neuron
A pseudounipolar neuron
What is a neuron’s receptive field defined by?
The distribution of nerve endings/receptors
Which parts of the body are receptive fields large/small?
Small in the periphery
Large on the trunk
What does two-point discrimination refer to?
The ability to discern two separate mechanical stimuli
What is a neuron’s receptive field?
The area of skin innervated by a single nerve fibre
Areas with small 2-point discrimination have a high density of sensory input. Describe the cortical representation for areas with small 2-point discrimination
Large cortical representation
Describe the receptive fields and and 2 point values in the tips of the finger
Small receptive fields
Small 2-point discrimination
Describe the receptive fields and 2 point values in the trunk
Large receptive fields and large 2-point discrimination
Describe the transduction of a stimulus (e.g. mechanical stimuli changed to an electrial impulse)
- Stimulus
- Change in membrane permeability of the receptive ending of sensory neuron
- Influx of cations
- Depolarisation occurs in the sensory neuron
- Generation of an action potential
- Conveyed centrally to CNS
Describe the action potential in mechanotransduction
Once transmembrane pore is activated by mechanical stimuli, it opens. Na+ flows into cell. Depolarisation occurs. Once threshold is reached, an action potential is fired. K+ channels open -> repolarisation. Cell returns to resting membrane potential
Describe mechanoreceptors
Mechanoreceptors are tethered to the cell membrane. Pulling of subcellular tethers: membrane deforming/deflection of the cell membrane -> opens channel
Describe chemoreceptor activation
- Receptors in skin react to chemical stimuli e.g. acid on skin causes perception of burning
- Chemical binds to receptor. Causes conformation change in ion channel, causing it to open. Leads to passage of Na+ ions into cell -> AP generated
- Ligand-gated pore
What is a GPCR?
- G-protein coupled receptor
- Generally have a pore in the cell membrane
- When binding of a chemical to receptor protein occurs, chain of events occurs through various proteins, ultimately resulting in phosphorylation of G protein, causing the channel to open
What are the differences between ionotropic receptors and GPCRs?
- Easier to inactivate ionotropic receptors than GPCRs
- GPCRs stay ‘on’/activated for longer e.g. acid on skin, pain persists
How is the quality of a stimulus determined?
By the type of receptor being recruited e.g. thermoreceptors or mechanoreceptors
How is the intensity of a stimulus graded?
By the frequency of action potential firing or the number of neurons recrutied
How is the duration of a stimulus determined?
Duration of action potential firing - how long they fire for
How is the location of the stimulus coded?
By which receptive field has been stimulated. Allows us to perceive location of stimulus and respond to it
A high intensity stimulus will be coded by:
High action potential firing frequency