Sensory Systems

Question 1

sensory systems for external info

Answer 1

• Somatosensory (tactile, pain, proprioceptive)
• Visual system
• Auditory
• Vestibular (balance)
• Olfactory
• Gustatory (taste)

Question 1

sensory info can be…

Answer 1

internal or external

Question 2

describe decussation in the ascending sensory pathway

Answer 2

depends on specific type of sensory info

Question 3

what are sensory neurons

Answer 3

peripheral nerves carrying information from the sensory stimulus receiver to the SC

Question 4

what does damage to the ascending sensory pathway cause?

Answer 4

Damage at any stage causes problems in sensory processing (different presentations and consequences)

Question 5

examples of receptors

Answer 5

• Nociceptors (pain – tissue damage)
• Photoreceptors (light – rods and cones)
• Thermoreceptors (temperature)
• Baroreceptors/carotid bodies (stretch – blood vessels)
• Chemoreceptors (chemical composition)
• Mechanoreceptors (touch/pressure)
• Hair cells (sound)

Question 6

what do nociceptors detect?

Answer 6

pain - tissue damage

Question 7

what do photoreceptors detect?

Answer 7

light - rods and cones

Question 8

what do thermoreceptors detect?

Answer 8

temp

Question 9

what do baroreceptors/carotid arteries detect?

Answer 9

stretch - blood vessels

Question 10

what do mechanoreceptors detect?

Answer 10

touch/pressure

Question 11

what do hair cells detect?

Answer 11

sound

Question 12

what receptors detect pain/tissue damage?

Answer 12

nociceptors

Question 13

what receptors detect light?

Answer 13

photoreceptors - rods and cones

Question 14

what receptors detect stretch?

Answer 14

baroreceptors/carotid arteries in the BV

Question 15

what do chemoreceptors detect?

Answer 15

chemical composition

Question 16

what receptors detect chemical composition?

Answer 16

chemoreceptors

Question 17

what receptors detect touch/pressure?

Answer 17

mechanoreceptors

Question 18

what receptors detect sound?

Answer 18

hair cells

Question 19

what in the sensory pathway is responsible for adaptation?

Answer 19

receptors

Question 20

role of adaptation

Answer 20

prevents sensory overload

Question 21

what prevents sensory overload?

Answer 21

adaptation

Question 22

where does adaptation occur?

Answer 22

in sensory cell

Question 23

what is adaptation distinct from?

Answer 23

sensory gating

Question 24

role of thalamus

Answer 24

Sensory relay system (flitering, integrating, prioritising) role in sensory gating

Question 25

what part of the brain acts as a sensory relay station?

Answer 25

thalamus

Question 26

where does the thalamus get input and feedback from?

Answer 26

- Input and feedback from limbic, motor, reticular formation - Also feedback from cortex

Question 27

where does all sensory info pass in the brain? (what is the exception?)

Answer 27

- All sensory info to cortex passes through thalamus (expect olfaction)

Question 28

what brain strucute plays a part in sensory gating?

Answer 28

thalamus

Question 29

briefly explain sensory gating

Answer 29

- Filter irrelevant stimuli - Focus on relevant stimuli - Rapidly switch - ‘cocktail party effect’ (lots of conversations – able to filter and focus on yours but switch rapidly)

Question 30

when is sensory gating a problem?

Answer 30

in things like schizophrenia

Question 31

where is the primary somatosensory cortex (S1)?

Answer 31

- Postcentral gyrus - Parietal cortex - Brodmann 1-3 Sensory homunculus

Question 32

what structure, important in sensory processing, located in the parietal cortex, post central gyrus, and brodmann 1-3?

Answer 32

primary somatosensory cortex (S1)

Question 33

sensory info processed by the parietal lobe

Answer 33

where - attention

Question 34

sensory info processed by the temporal lobe

Answer 34

what - familiarity

Question 35

sensory info processed by the occipital lobe

Answer 35

visual info (includes primary visual cortex)

Question 36

sensory info processed by the frontal lobe

Answer 36

what to do about it - motor commands

Question 37

pathway for pain

Answer 37

- Nociceptor - Dorsal root - Anterior horn - Spinothalamic tract - Thalamus - Thalamocortical relay - Primary somatosensory cortex - Primary motor cortex - Corticospinal tract - Ventral root - Neuromuscular junction - Muscle