Somatosensation Flashcards
What are the different types of somatosensation?
- temperature (thermoception)
- pressure (mechanoception)
- pain (nociception)
- position (proprioception)
Adaptation
change over time if receptor to a constant stimulus – downregualtion
Amplification
- upregulation
- Ex. light hits photoreceptors in eye and can cause cell to fire AP which can lead to 2 more cells firing an AP
What type of stimuli do Pacinian Corpuscles react to?
deep pressure and vibration
What type of stimuli do Meissner Corpuscles react to?
light touch
What type of stimuli do Merkle Cells react to?
deep pressure and texture
What type of stimuli do Ruffini Endings react to?
stretch
What type of stimuli do Free Nerve Endings react to?
pain and temperature
Where do tactile receptors send signals?
transduction occurs in these receptors which send signals to CNS and eventually to the somatosensory cortex in the parietal lobe
What is physiological zero?
- the normal temperature of skin
- 86-97°F
Kinesthetic Sense
- same thing as proprioception
- ability to tell where one’s body is in space
- plays a role in hand-eye coordination, balance, and mobility
Where are receptors for Kinesthetic Sense mostly found?
in muscle and joints
Which receptor senses temperature?
TrypV1 receptor (also can sense pain)
Describe how a TrypV1 receptor is activated
when a cell is poked, thousands of cells are broken up and release different molecules that bind to the TrypV1 receptor causing a conformational change in the receptor which activates cell to send signals to the brain
What are the 3 types of pain fibers?
- A-Beta Fibers
- A-Delta Fibers
- C-Fibers
