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Science for Medicine > Sensory Receptors > Flashcards

Sensory Receptors Flashcards

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1
Q

What are sensory receptors?

A

Sensory receptors are nerve endings which are often specialised with some non-neural structures. They transduce and convert energy into action potentials.

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2
Q

What do sensory receptors do?

A

Convert sensory information / energy into action potentials.

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3
Q

What are the 3 types of sensory receptor?

A

Mechanoreceptors
Proprioceptors
Nociceptors

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4
Q

What do mechanoreceptors do?

A

Stimulated by mechanical stimuli (pressure/stretch/deformation/touch/pressure).

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5
Q

What do proprioceptors do?

A

Mechanoreceptors in the joints and muscle (signal info about body and limb position).

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6
Q

What do nociceptors do?

A

Respond to painful stimuli, tissue damage and heat.

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7
Q

What sensory receptors are stimulated by mechanical stimuli?

A

Mechanoreceptors.

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8
Q

Where do proprioceptors exist?

A

Joints and muscles.

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9
Q

What type of sensory receptor responds to pain?

A

Nociceptor.

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10
Q

What are cutaneous mechanoreceptors and proprioceptors a good example of?

A

Peripheral sensory processing and ion channel transduction.

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11
Q

What does an adequate stimulus cause?

A

Graded potential membrane change.

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12
Q

What is the graded potential membrane change called in sensory receptors?

A

Receptor potential or generator potential.

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13
Q

What does membrane deformation lead to?

A

Activates stretch-sensitive ion channels so ions flow across the membrane and change the membrane potential locally.

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14
Q

What is generator potential graded to?

A

Stimulus intensity.

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15
Q

What does generator potential trigger?

A

Triggers ions to flow through the membrane locally and when depolarisation reaches the VG-ion channel area, action potentials start firing.

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16
Q

When do action potentials start firing?

A

When depolarisation reaches the VG-ion channel area.

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17
Q

What is frequency coding?

A

In a sensory nerve, a larger stimulus causes a larger receptor potential and a larger frequency of action potentials.

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18
Q

What is the link between larger generator potential and larger frequency of action potentials called?

A

Frequency coding.

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19
Q

What is the skin packed with?

A

Sensory receptors for touch.

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20
Q

What does the information of skin touch receptors depend on?

A

Properties of nerve endings and of accessory, non-neural structures.

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21
Q

What is adaptation?

A

Adaptation occurs when mechanoreceptors only respond to a change or novel event.

22
Q

Do different receptors show the same level fo adaptation?

A

No- they all show different levels.

23
Q

How are adapting receptors characterised?

A

Rapid/moderately adapting receptors

Slow adapting receptors

24
Q

Do nociceptors adapt?

A

No.

25
Q

Why do nociceptors not adapt?

A

To prevent painful stimuli from being ignored.

26
Q

What is the best understood mechanoreceptor?

A

Pacinian corpsicule.

27
Q

What is the Pacinian corpsicule?

A

Best understood mechanoreceptor.

28
Q

How is the Pacinian corpsicule structured?

A

It comprises a myelinated nerve with a naked nerve ending enclosed by a connective tissue capsule of layered membrane lamellae with each layer separated by fluid.

29
Q

What is each layer of membrane lamellae separated by in the Pacinian corpsicule?

A

Fluid.

30
Q

What happens in the Pacinian corpsicule after a stimulus is detected?

A

A mechanical stimulus deforms the capsule and nerve ending. This stretches the nerve ending and opens ion channels. Na+ influx causes local depolarisation (generator potential)- APs are generated and fire where myelination begins.

31
Q

What causes the opening of ion channels in the Pacinian corpsicule?

A

Stretching of nerve ending.

32
Q

What causes the local depolarisation in the Pacinian corpsicule.

A

Na+ influx causes local depolarisation resulting in a generator potential.

33
Q

Does the Pacinian corpsicule show adaptation?

A

Shows rapid adaptation through fluid distribution.

34
Q

What does rapid fluid distribution cause in the Pacinican corpsicule?

A

Rapid adaptation.

35
Q

What happens to Pacinian corpsicule adaptation of lamellae are lost?

A

Adaptation is lost.

36
Q

What happens do Pacinian corpsicule if the capsule is intact?

A

On/off function remains intact.

37
Q

What happens to Pacinian corpsicule if the capsule is damaged?

A

Bare nerve ending loses adaptation because a continuous generator potential is upheld.

38
Q

What is the function of the Pacinian corpsicule dependent on?

A

Accessory non-neural capsule structure.

39
Q

What does the capsule non-neural accessory structure do in the Pacinian corpsicule?

A

Enhances sensory function.

40
Q

What are receptive fields?

A

Specific areas where somatic sensory nerves are stimulated.

41
Q

In what areas are somatic sensory nerves stimulated?

A

Receptive fields.

42
Q

What is the name of a test that measures our ability to determine 2 points on the skin?

A

2 point discrimination test.

43
Q

What is our ability to determine 2 points dependent on?

A

Receptive field size

Neuronal convergence

44
Q

What is neuronal convergence?

A

When multiple presynaptic neurons input on a smaller number of post-synaptic neurons.

45
Q

What neurones exhibit neuronal convergence?

A

Neurones with neighbouring receptive fields.

46
Q

What might neurones with neighbouring receptive fields exhibit?

A

Neuronal convergence.

47
Q

What does convergence allow?

A

Summation of sub-threshold stimuli.

48
Q

What do lots of convergence and a large receptive field indicate?

A

Low sensitivity.

49
Q

What areas of the body are sensitive?

A

Fingers/lips are more sensitive than limbs/back.

50
Q

What is acuity?

A

Acuity is the ability to locate a stimulus on the skin and differentiate it from another close by.

51
Q

What is low acuity caused by?

A

Low acuity = high levels of convergence.

52
Q

What is lateral inhibition?

A

Lateral inhibition is when the surrounding lateral areas around a sensory area are inhibited in order to sharpen the contrast between relevant and irrelevant information.

Science for Medicine (19 decks)

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