Slide 2

Question 1

How are sensory systems organized?

Answer 1

lower to higher order of information processing

-aka hierarchical

Question 2

Describe the path of processing

Answer 2

receptors -> thalamic relay nuclei -> primary sensory cortex -> secondary sensory cortex -> association cortex

Question 3

Where does initial processing take place?

Answer 3

receptors

Question 4

where does complex processing occur?

Answer 4

association cortex

Question 5

what does it mean when one says that the level of processing is hierarchical?

Answer 5

• as the info passes through the brain
• the level of processing becomes more complex
• from lower to higher order of info processing

Question 6

What is the result of damage to the receptors?

Answer 6

-unable to detect sensory stimuli

Question 7

What is the result of damage to the cortical areas?

Answer 7

• basic sensory projection preserved
• however, difficulty with more complex analysis
• eg. unable to discriminate

Question 8

What is parallel processing?

Answer 8

• simultaneous processing of different dimensions
• of same info
• through different neural pathways

Question 9

3 ways in which sensory system is organized

Answer 9

• hierarchical
• describes direction of flow of info
• parallel processing in sensory systems

Question 10

Give an example of parallel processing

Answer 10

• what and where visual pathways
• visual info is thought to flow in two distinct neural pathways
• 1 path says what the object is
• other path says where the object is

Question 11

Name the 6 divisions of the functional and anatomical separation of the sense

Answer 11

Occipital Lobe
Temporal Lobe
Parietal Lobe
Piriform Cortex
Insular Cortex 
Brain Stem/Cerebellum

Question 12

Function of occipital lobe

Answer 12

vision

Question 13

Function of temporal lobe

Answer 13

sound (audition)

Question 14

Function of parietal lobe

Answer 14

touch/pain (somatosensory)

Question 15

Function of Piriform Cortex

Answer 15

smell (olfaction)

Question 16

Function of Insular Cortex

Answer 16

taste (gustatory)

Question 17

Function of brain stem/cerebellum

Answer 17

vestibular (balance)

Question 18

What is a receptive field?

Answer 18

• area of sensory space
• can elicit neuronal responses
• when stimulated

Question 19

True or false: size/distribution of receptive fields vary

Answer 19

true

Question 20

True or false: receptive fields often have inhibitory/excitatory fields

Answer 20

true

Question 21

How is the type of activity (excitatory or inhibitory) determined?

Answer 21

depends on the part that is stimulated

Question 22

What is the purpose of lateral inhibition?

Answer 22

• detecting different stimuli

- sharpen sensation

Question 23

What is lateral inhibition?

Answer 23

• activated cells
• capable of inhibiting their neighbouring cells
• this enhances sensation in the part that is affected

Question 24

Describe adaptation in sensory systems

Answer 24

• able to change sensitivity
• to a stimulus upon constant stimulation
• eg. heavy smokers wont notice the smell of smoke cuz constantly around it

Question 25

What are topographic maps?

Answer 25

- sensory system - projected onto sensory surface - of the brain

Question 26

Purpose of sensory brains having functional columns

Answer 26

- columns of cells vertical to brain surface | - cells in the same column have similar functional preferences

Question 27

Define sensation

Answer 27

- process of detecting | - presence of sensory stimuli

Question 28

2 components of sensation

Answer 28

- reception | - transduction

Question 29

Define reception

Answer 29

- specialized sensory receptors | - generate responses to specific stimuli

Question 30

Define transduction

Answer 30

- converting external stimuli - to neuronal activity - changes to membrane potential

Question 31

Give examples of receptors in: skin eyes ear

Answer 31

- skin: cutaneous - eyes: photoreceptors - ear: hair cells

Question 32

Show the 7 events that occur during reception/transduction

Answer 32

stimulus energy -> sensory receptors -> neural impulses -> Brain -> Sensation -> Perception

Question 33

Neural activity codes for the following 3 features

Answer 33

- stimulus intensity (strength) - stimulus modality (what is it) - stimulus location (where is it)

Question 34

Define perception

Answer 34

- higher order process - of integrating, recognizing, interpreting - patterns of sensation

Question 35

Three subsystems in the somatosensory system

Answer 35

- extereceptive cutaneous - proprioceptive - interoceptive

Question 36

3 stimulation that exteroceptive cutaneous system responds to

Answer 36

- mechanical stimulation (touch) - thermal stimulation (temp) - nociception (pain)

Question 37

Function of proprioceptive system

Answer 37

- monitors info - about position - of diff parts in the body

Question 38

Function of interoceptive system

Answer 38

- monitors general info - about body - eg. blood pressure/temp

Question 39

What are cutaneous receptors specialized for?

Answer 39

- detecting external stimuli | - that are applied to the skin

Question 40

True or false: there are diff types of cutaneous receptors which have diff rates of adaptation

Answer 40

true

Question 41

Name the 4 types of cutaneous receptors

Answer 41

- free nerve endings - ruffini endings - merkel receptors - pacinian corpuscles

Question 42

Function of free nerve endings

Answer 42

- temp change | - pain

Question 43

Location of free nerve endings in the skin/rate of response

Answer 43

- shallow | - respond quickly

Question 44

Function of ruffini endings

Answer 44

- slow adaptation to touch | - eg. stretch skin

Question 45

Location of ruffini endings/rate of response

Answer 45

- deep | - respond slowly

Question 46

Function of Merkel receptors

Answer 46

- slow adapting to touch | - eg. slow indentation of skin

Question 47

Location of Merkel receptors/rate of response

Answer 47

shallow | slow response

Question 48

Function of pacinian corpuscles

Answer 48

fast adapting to touch | pressure/vibration

Question 49

Location of Pacinian Corpuscles/rate of response

Answer 49

deepest | quick

Question 50

What is a dermatome?

Answer 50

area of skin supplied by sensory nerves from single spinal root

Question 51

4 types of vertebrae which correspond to dematome

Answer 51

- sacral - lumbar - thoracic - cervical

Question 52

What are the 2 major somatosensory pathways?

Answer 52

- Dorsal-Column Medial Lemniscus System | - Anterolateral System (aka. spinothalamic)

Question 53

Function of dorsal-column medial lemniscus system

Answer 53

-carries touch/proprioception info

Question 54

Pathway of dorsal-column medial-lemniscus system

Answer 54

1) enters CNS in dorsal root of spinal cord 2) ascends up dorsal root of spinal cord 3) crosses at dorsal column nuclei (medulla) 4) ascends up medial lemniscus 5) connects to ventral posterior nucleus (thalamus)

Question 55

Function of anterolateral system (aka. spinothalamic)

Answer 55

carries pain/temperature info

Question 56

In the anterolateral system, where does the signal go from the spinothalamic tract?

Answer 56

connects to central posterior thalamus

Question 57

In the anterolateral system, where does the signal go from the spinoreticular tract?

Answer 57

connects to reticular formation | then to thalamus

Question 58

In the anterolateral system, where does the signal go from the spinotectal tract?

Answer 58

connects to tectum

Question 59

What are trigeminal nerves?

Answer 59

- nerves coming from receptors in the face - motor functions eg. biting/chewing - info goes straight to the hindbrain

Question 60

What are sensory receptors?

Answer 60

- specialized cells in PNS - detect and respond - to particular physical stimuli

Question 61

pathway of anterolateral system

Answer 61

1)enters CNS in dorsal root of spinal cord 2)CROSSES at dorsal root of spinal cord 3)Ascends up three separate tracts (spinothalamic, spinotectal, spinoreticular)