Sensory Physiology Flashcards
An Afferent System that provides info to CNS about the state of body and/or the immediate environment
Sensation
Starting point of Afferent System; Specialized epithelial cells or neurons that transduce environmental signals into neural signals
Sensory Receptors
End point of Afferent System
Sensory Cortex
Change in membrane potential produced by the stimulus; Trigger action potential trains
Generator Potential/Receptor Potential
Touch Receptors
Mechanoreceptors
Temperature Receptors
Thermoreceptors
Pain Receptors
Nociceptors
Light Receptors
Electromagnetic Receptors
O2 or CO2 Receptors
Chemoreceptors
“Specific sensation, specific receptors”
Differential Sensitivity
“Specific sensations, specific pathways”
Labeled Line Principle
Change in a way a receptor responds to sequential or prolonged stimulation
Adaptation
For continuous stimulus strength; Detects steady stimulus (eg: muscle spindle, golgi tendon, slow pain receptor, baroreceptor, chemoreceptor)
Slowly-adapting Receptors (Tonic Receptors)
For detecting change in stimulus strength; Detects onset and offset of stimulus; Has predictive function (eg: Pacinian corpuscle)
Rapidly-adapting Receptors (Phasic Receptors)
Region of skin where stimuli can change the firing rate of sensory neurons
Receptive Field
Smaller receptive field with well-defined border
Type 1 Receptive Field
Wider receptive field with poorly-defined borders
Type 2 Receptive Field
Tactile Receptor: In the skin; For Touch and Pressure
Free Nerve Endings
Tactile Receptor: In non-hairy skin (eg: fingertips and lips); For Movement of objects and low-frequency vibration
Meissner’s Corpuscles (FA1)
Tactile Receptor: Combine to form Iggo Dome Receptors; Expanded tip Tactile Receptor; Gives steady-state signals for continuous touch; Localizing touch sensation and to determine texture
Merkel’s Disc (SA1)
Tactile Receptor: In hair base; For Movement of objects on the skin
Hair-end organ
Tactile Receptor: In deep skin, internal tissues and joint capsules; Multi-branched, encapsulated; Slow-adapting; Heavy and prolonged touch (pressure) and to signal degree of joint rotation
Ruffini’s end organs (SA2)
Tactile Receptor: Onion-like structure in skin and deep fascia; Detects high frequency vibration
Pacinian Corpuscles (FA2)
Cell Body: Dorsal Root or Cranial Nerve Ganglia
First-Order Neurons
Cell Body: Spinal Cord or Brainstem
Second-Order Neurons
Cell Body: Thalamus
Third-Order Neurons
Cell Body: Sensory Cortex
Fourth-Order Neurons
Somatosensory pathway that uses large myelinated fibers (Group II); 30-110m/s; With temporal & spatial fidelity; Crosses near the medulla; Vibration, sensations against the skin, position sense & fine pressure, 2-point discrimination
Dorsal Column-Medial Lemniscus Pathway
Somatosensory pathway that uses smaller myelinated fibers (Group III & IV); 8-40m/s; With less fidelity; Less accurate gradations; Crosses immediately; Pain, temperature sensation, crude touch & pressure sensation, tickle and itch sensation; sexual sensation
Antero-Lateral System (Spinothalamic Tract)
Relay station for sensation
Thalamus
Dorsal Column-Medial Lemniscus
VPL Nuclei
Trigemino Thalamic Pathway
VPM Nuclei
Anterolateral System
VPI Nuclei
Somatotropic organization of Primary (S1) & Secondary (S2) Somatosensory Area; Largest area are for the fingers, hands & face for precise localization
Sensory Homunculus
Neurotransmitters for Pain
GlutamateSubstance P
Type of Pain: after 0.1 sec; aka 1st/sharp/pricking/acute/electric pain; Superficial; Stimulated: mechanical or thermal stimuli; Type A-delta fibers; NT: Glutamate
Fast Pain
Type of Pain: after 1 sec; aka 2nd/slow/burning/aching/throbbing/nauseous/chronic pain; Associated with tissue destruction; Stimulated: mechanical or thermal or chemical stimuli; Type C fibers; NT: Substance P
Slow Pain
Due to sharing of 2nd Order neurons in the spinal cord of Visceral pain fibers & Skin pain fibers; Follows Dermatome Rule
Referred Pain
Pain Killer System of the body; NT: Serotonin, Epinephrine, Norepinephrine
Endogenous Analgesia System
Thermal Receptors: Free nerve endings & Type C fibers
Warmth Receptors