Sensory and Motor Physiology Flashcards
What are sensory receptors?
Specialised cells
Stimuli converted to action potentials
What are the 4 basic receptors?
Electromagnetic
Chemoreceptors
Mechanoreceptors
thermoreceptors
What is a receptor field?
Area monitored by a single receptor
What is a phasic response
Adapts rapidly - transient response
What is a tonic response
Adapts slowly
AP maintained
Constant sensation
What are the 3 different mechanoreceptors?
tactile receptors
propioreceptors
baroreceptors
what is the role of tactile receptors
discriminate touch
Where are tactile receptors located
Free nerve endings
meissners corpuslce
Where are propioreceptors located?
Muscle spindle
Role of baroreceptors?
monitor change in pressure
Where are chemoreceptors located
Cardio/resp systems
GI tract
What do chemoreceptors detect?
blood pH, O2, CO2
Role of nocioreceptors
detect pain / harmful stimulus
What is a dermatome
area of skin sensation associated with a particular spinal level
What are first order neurones
have receptor endings
bigger diameters- quicker conduction
What does the spinothalamic tract regulate
Pain/temp
Location of spinothalamic tract
synapse in thalamus
travel to sensory cortex
What happens when spinothalamic tract is damaged
Bilateral sensation lost to both sides lost at the level below
What is the dorsal column responsible for
Touch/vibration
Where does the dorsal column synapse?
Not in spine
Synapses in dorsal column nuclei
Where does the spinocerebellar tract originate
Spinal cord
What is present on the spinocerebellar tract
Propioceptors
What does damage to the somatosensory cortex cause
Stroke
What does the primary sensory cortex do
receive information from sensory receptors
Conscious awareness of sensations
What do somatic sensory association areas do?
Monitors activity in primary sensory cortex
allows special recognition of somatic areas
special senses have own association areas
