Somatic Senses

Question 1

___ occur in the central nervous system (CNS) after sensory stimuli in the internal or external environment generate nerve impulses, which in turn convey information regarding the environmental change to the CNS.

Answer 1

Sensations

Question 2

Sensory receptors can be classified in a number of ways.

They can be classified by mode (e.g., ___ are sensitive to light, ___ are sensitive to certain chemicals, and ___ are sensitive to mechanical changes).

Answer 2

photoreceptors, chemoreceptors, mechanoreceptors

Question 3

Sensory receptors can also be classified according to their location

(e.g., ___ are located in the skin, ___ are located in the muscles, and ___ are located in deeper tissues [the viscera]).

Answer 3

exteroceptors, proprioceptors, visceroceptors

Question 4

Senses mediated by the sensory receptors of the body can be categorized into two major groups:

Answer 4

the somatic senses and the special senses.

Question 5

The ___ involve elaborate sensory organs such as the eye or ear.

Answer 5

special senses

Question 6

involve less elaborate sensory mechanisms, often just single receptors embedded in skin or muscle tissue.

Answer 6

Somatic senses

Question 7

are somatic senses that are mediated by exteroceptors— sensory receptors in the skin. It includes sensitivity to touch, pressure, heat, cold, vibration, and any other stimulus felt through the skin.

Answer 7

Cutaneous senses

Question 8

___ are thought to outnumber heat receptors.

These two types of thermoreceptors, or “temperature receptors,” are also thought to have different distribution patterns.

Answer 8

Cold receptors

Question 9

Also known as “muscle sense,”

Answer 9

proprioception

Question 10

is the ability to sense the contraction or tension of a muscle organ.

Answer 10

proprioception

Question 11

Receptors for proprioception include stretch receptors called

Answer 11

muscle spindles and Golgi tendon organs.