sensory systems Flashcards
Functions of the sensory system
provide the CNS with representation of the external and internal environment
functions of sensory system- external environment
provides information about the external environment that is crucial for survival (location of food and sources of danger)
functions of sensory system- internal environment
state of internal environment constantly monitored as a part of homeostatic feedback
somatic senses provide information from the body surface like
touch, pressure, vibration, temp, pain, proprioception
what is proprioception
position of the body in space
what is nociception
pain receptors that have varying degrees of sensitivity to mechanical, thermal, and chemical stimuli
what do visceral senses do
provides information from internal organs that does not reach our consciousness, but is essential for maintenanceof homeostasis
example of visceral sense
blood pressure, pH, and temperature
what are special senses
receptors that are concentrated on specific organs located on the head
example of special sense
olfaction, vision, taste, hearing, and equilibrium
our conscious interpretation of the external word as created by the brain from a pattern of nerve impulses delivered from sensory receptors
perception
sensory information can be suppressed, attenuated, or ignored and perception can be affected by our past (T/F)
True
stimulus
a change detectable by the body
stimuli exist in a variety of
energy forms or modalities
process of conversion of nonelectrical forms of environmental energy into electrical events that can be transmitted and processed by the NS
sensory transduction
adequate stimulus
a stimulus that has the lowest threshold of detection and every sensory receptors has this
example of adequate stimulus
photoreceptors in the retina= light
chemoreceptors= pH, O2, smell, and taste
mechnoreceptors= stretch, tissue displacement, and vibration
thermorecpetors= hot/cold
nociceptors
the simplest receptors are
free nerve endings (temp and pain)
pacinian capsule
connective tissue capsule that surrounds nerve endings
stimulation of sensory receptor alters its membrane permeability, leading to a graded
receptor potential (generator potential)
receptor potential is
localized depolarization due to an influx of positive charges
higher stimulus intensity means a higher
frequency of action potentials in a sensory neuron
population coding
it is supplemented by the stems intensity information and it refers to the # of receptors that respond to the same stimulus
adaption prevents
a flood of irrelevant sensory information to the CNS
what receptor does not adapt to maintained stimuli
nociceptors- can make it more sensitive
fast action potential does what to adaption
rapid adaptation