Sensory Receptors Flashcards
What do sensory receptors do?
Sensory receptors stimulate neurons to send impulses along sensory fibers to the brain.
What are sensory receptors?
Specialized cells or mullticellular structures that collect information from the environment.
What is a sensation?
A sensation is a feeling that occurs when the brain becomes aware of a sensory impulse.
What is perception?
Perception is the way that the brain interprets the information from what you sensed. A persons view of the stimulus, the way the brain interprets the information.
What is a chemoreceptor?
A chemoreceptor responds to changes in chemical concentrations.
What does a pain receptor do? (nociceptors)
responds to tissue damage
What do thermoreceptors do?
respond to mechanical forces
What do mechanoreceptors do?
respond to mechanical forces
What do photoreceptors do?
respond to light
What is sensory adaptation?
Sensory adaptation is the ability to ignore an unimportant stimuli. Involves a decreased response to a particular stimul from the receptors (peripheral adaptation) or along the CNS pathways leading to the cerebral cortex (central adaptation). Sensory impulses become less frequent and may cease. Stronger stimulus is required to trigger impulses.
What are the general senses?
senses associated with the the skin, muscles, joints, and viscera
What are the three groups of senses?
Exteroceptive senses (exteroceptors), visceroceptive senses (interoceptors), and proprioceptive senses
What are exteroceptive senses (exteroceptors)
Senses associated with body surface such as touch, pressure, temperature, and pain
What are visceroceptive senses (interoceptors)?
Senses associated with changes in the viscera such as blood pressure stretching blood vessels and ingestion of a meal
What are proprioceptive senses?
Senses associated with changes in muscles and tendons such as at joints (like pole vaulter)
What are free nerve endings?
They are common in epithelial tissues. They are the simplest receptors, and they sense itching.
What is the tactile (Meissner’s) corpuscles?
It is abundant in the hairless portions of skin & lips. Dectects fine/light touch, distinguishes between two points on skin.
What is Lamellated (Pacinian) corpuscles?
common in deeper subcutaneous tissues, tendons and ligament and dectects heavy pressure and vibrations.
What do warm receptors do?
Sensitive to temperatures above 77 F (25 C). Unresponsive to temperatures above 113 F (45 C)
Cold receptors are only sensitive to what temperatures?
Sensitive to temperatures between 50-68 F (10-20 C)
Pain receptors respond to what temperatures?
Respond to temperatures below 50 F (10 C)
Respond to temperatures above 113 F (45 C)
