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special senses Flashcards

1
Q

what are the 4 senses?

A

1.Vision - sight
2.Olfaction - smell
3.Gustation - taste
4.Audition - hearing
5.Balance

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2
Q

what are special senses?

A

senses are called ‘special’ as they all utilise specialised organs and receptors in order to generate their sense

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3
Q

what is a specialised sensory cells?

A

transduces the stimulus, located within a specific sensory organ.

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4
Q

what 3 things do specific sensory organs include?

A

1.Smell and taste utilise specialised chemoreceptors.

2.Hearing and balance detect vibration and movement using specialised mechanoreceptors – hair cells.

3.Vision uses specialised photoreceptors

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5
Q

what nerves is sensory information carried through?

A

via cranial nerves into CNS for processing

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6
Q

vision - where are photosenstive cells located?

A

retina of the eye

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7
Q

what do photosensitive cells induce?

A

light waves into electric signals (phototransduction) and information travels along a distinct pathway to the occipital lobe and visual cortices for processing

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8
Q

what is the visual pathway made up of ?

A

Eye (retina)
Cranial nerve II – Optic nerve
Optic tract
Optic chiasm
Optic radiations

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9
Q

what information does the right side of the visual cortex receive?

A

receives information about the left field of vision and vice-versa

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10
Q

what 2 features the the eyeball exterior have?

A

Sclera - white
Cornea -clear

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11
Q

what 3 chambers does the eye have?

A

Anterior (aqueous humour)
Posterior (lens, supporting structures)
Vitreous (vitreous (gel-like) humour)

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12
Q

what is the iris of the eye?

A

muscular ring (ANS control CNIII)

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13
Q

what is the lens of the eyes?

A

focus light onto macula and fovea (focal point

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14
Q

what Is the retinal of the eye?

A

contains sensory receptors

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15
Q

what are the 2 features in the retinal?

A

Rods (low light - acuity)
Cones (colour – tuned to particular wavelengths – red/green/blue))

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16
Q

what is refraction?

A

light passes through a substance it is ben

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17
Q

how does refraction work in the eye?

A

eye light passes through the curved cornea, the differing densities of fluid, gel in the chambers and the curved dense structure of the lens.

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18
Q

what happens to the image when there is curves dense structures of the lens reaches the retina?

A

image is inverted

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19
Q

what happens after the retina- accommodation?

A

alters shape of the lens allowing the image to be focused on the macula and fovea

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20
Q

what is accommodation?

A

process of focussing light onto the macula and fovea by changing the lens shape, to get the best acuity (sharpness, clarity) of image

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21
Q

in accommodation what happens to the distant objects

A

Ciliary muscles are relaxed
Zonula fibres tense
Lens becomes stretched and thinner.

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22
Q

what are the close objects of accommodation ?

A

Ciliary muscle contracts
Zonula fibres relax
Lens becomes fatter and rounder

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23
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A
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24
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25
26
what are the function of distant object
keeps the light waves more spread out so that they don’t converge before they hit the retina
27
what are the function of close object?
bends the light waves at a greater angle to focus them on the fovea
28
what are the 6 muscles control the movement of the orbit in its socket?
4 x rectus muscles 2 x oblique muscles
29
what are controlled by 3 cranial nerves?
CNIII (oculomotor) CNIV (trochlear) CNVI (abducens)
30
what are the types of eye movement
1.vergence movement 2.saccades 3.smooth pursuit movement 4.vestibulo-cocular reflex(VOR)
31
Vergence movement
convergent and divergent eye movements to aid focus on near, distant objects
32
Saccades
rapid movement to change point of fixation (REM
33
Smooth pursuit movement
track moving objects to maintain focus on fovea
34
Vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR)
account for head movements to maintain fixed point
35
what are some vergence movements ?
as disconjugate movement as the eyeballs work in opposite directions. Slow to occur (can be up to a second) and stops if focus on object terminated
36
what are 3 near objects (near-reflex) train of movement ?
1.Convergence of the eyes (move inwards) 2.Accommodation reflex to fatten lens 3.Pupillary constriction to focus more light on fovea
37
what are the 3 distant objects for vergence movement?
Divergence of the eyes (move outwards) Relaxation of the ciliary muscle to stretch lens Pupil dilation allowing optimal light reflection from object
38
what is olfaction?
utilises chemoreceptors located in the olfactory epithelium to detect chemical odourants
39
what is primary modalities each odour made up for in olfaction?
1.Putrid 2.Pungent 3.Floral 4.Fruity 5.Aromatic 6. Sweaty 7.Musk
40
what are the 3 steps in olfaction?
1.Air is channelled by concha to the olfactory mucosa. 2.Odourants dissolve in mucus to bind to receptors on the cilia of receptor cells. 3.Depolarise the receptor cells activation an action potential.
41
what is the scent linked to?
general sensation from CNV (trigeminal).
42
what do noxious odours stimulate?
stimulate pain receptors rather than olfactory!
43
what does activity in the olfactory receptor cell allow?
the activity is transmitted to the olfactory regions on both sides of the brain -allowing to detect the direction of smells
44
in the olfactory pathways where do axons travel to?
the cribriform plate into the skull and contact neurons in the olfactory bulb.
45
what do projections from the cells in olfactory receptor cells travel to?
Primary olfactory area (piriform cortex and periamygdaloid area) Olfactory tubercle (to the thalamus) Hypothalamus Limbic system Frontal lobe
46
In gustation, which combinations of the primary modalities do?
Sweet, salt, sour, bitter and umami (savoury, MSG) and also linked to basic sensation: fat content, texture
47
what are the 3 forms of papilla which contain taste buds?
Circumvallate Foliate Fungiform
48
what is the function of filliform papilla ?
create movement of the food and secretions.
49
what is the function of microvilli?
located on the taste buds, are chemosensors and respond to one modality optimally.
50
what are the 3 sensations carried to the CNS but the 3 cranial nerves?
1.CNVII (facial nerve) - Anterior 2/3 of tongue 2.CNIX (glossopharyngeal) - Posterior 1/3 of tongue 3,CNX (vagus) - Epiglottis and Pharynx
51
52
how do the signals travel to the gustatory centres in the cortex(by insula on inner operculum)?
Signals travel to the nucleus of the solitary tract in the brainstem
53
what are the 2 things detected by the vestbulcochlear system(located in the ear)?
1.hearing 2.balance
54
what is the cochlear component responsible for?
hearing and the vestibular system is responsible for balance.
55
what 3 sections is the ear divided by?
1.external ear 2.middle ear 3.inner ear
56
External ear
Pinna (auricle) and Ear Canal (sound collection and direction to middle ear, separated by the tympanic membrane
57
Middle ear
Eustacian Tube and Ossicular Chain (pressure, transmission and attenuation)
58
inner ear
Labyrinth – Vestibular system (Semicircular Canals) and Cochlea
59
what are the sound waves channeled to?
tympanic membrane by the pinna.
60
what does the membrane cause ?
oscillation of the ossicular chain (malleus, incus and stapes).
61
what do the stapes vibrate against?
against the oval window of the membranous labyrinth.
62
when the vibration reaches against the oval window of the membranous labyrinth, where does it move through?
perilymph in the cochlea, causing movement of the hair cells in the organ of corti.
63
what causes movement of the membrane boundaries of the organ of coati-sensory organ?
Vibrations travel through the scala vestibuli and the scala tympani to the round window
64
what depolarises the cells, signals carried by the vestibulocochlear)?
Movement of the basilar membrane bends the stereocilia on the inner hair cells against the fixed tectorial membrane
65
66
how can there be a increase or decrease of the signal in cochlear amplifier ?
Outer hair cells can change in length to increase or decrease the signal
67
where do the cells can contacted in auditory pathways?
Signals from the organ of corti travel in CNVIII (vestibulocochlear) to the brainstem
68
where do the signals travel from when they reach the brainstem in the auditory pathways?
travels to the thalamus before travelling onto the auditory cortex in the temporal lobe.
69
what does signalling travelling both sides allow?
identification of the source of sounds.
70
what do vibrations travel through the scala vestibuli and the scala tympani to the round window , cause?
movement of the membrane boundaries of the Organ of Corti – sensory organ.
71
what does the movement of the basilar bends?
stereocilia on the inner hair cells against the fixed tectorial membrane. This depolarises the cells, signals are carried by the cochlear branch of CNVIII (vestibulocochlear).
72
what is the vestibular system responsible for?
providing information about position and movement of the head. Together with proprioceptive information from the body this enables us to develop and maintain spatial awareness.
73
what are the 3 components of vestibular system?
1.The semicircular canals(SCC) 2.Utricle 3.saccule
74
Semicircular canals
each containing one sensory ampulla
75
Utricle
contains one macula
76
what does each ampulla contain?
crista-detects kinetic, dynamic movement
77
Saccule
contains one macula
78
what does macula sense?
static head position
79
what does maculae contain?
contain hair cells embedded in a gel matrix containing Otoconia.
80
what happens in the movement when gravity acts on Octoconia?
movement of stereocilia away from kinocilium depolarises the cells
81
when the movement of stereocilia away from kinocilium depolarises the cells where is the signal carried after?
vestibular elements of CNVIII
82
In the crista of the ampulla, what does cupola contain?
long kinocilium hairs.
83
what does head movement cause ?
perilymph to move in the same direct and the cupula in the opposite direction.
84
what does displacement of the cupla excite?
nerve endings causing depolarisation.
85
what does position of the 3 ampulla at the base of the SCC enable?
direction of movement to be pinpointed.
86
what does information from labryinth travel to?
the CNVIII (vestibulocochlear) nerve to to the vestibular nuclei in the brainstem
87
in the vestibular pathways what does the nuclei project?
either the cerebellum, where it is involved in unconscious proprioception
88
how can nuclei project via the thalamus to which 3 regions in the cortex ?
1.Somatosensory association areas 2.Frontal eye field 3.Premotor cortex
89
what do visual deficits result from?
too strong, or weak, a lens; or altered shape of the eyeball and can be corrected using lens
90
what is myopia?
nearsightedness
91
what is hyperopia ?
farsightedness
92
how can visual perception altered?
experience and state. Optical illusions can demonstrate this well.
93
what are olfactory disturbances?
anosmia (loss of smell) are often associated with colds and head trauma.
94
what are olfactory disturbances associated with?
seizure activity, where parosmia (distortions of smell) and phantosmia (olfactory hallucination) or cacosmia (nasty olfactory auras) are common.
95
what is hypersensitivity(hyperosmia) associated with?
number of mental health conditions and can be linked to depression and anxiety disorders.
96
what does it mean by gustatory disturbances are ageusia?
full, bilateral taste loss) is very rare.
97
what is hypogeusia and distortions in taste associated with?
epilepsy, tumours etc.
98
what 3 things can hearing loss be divided into?
1.conductive 2.sensorineural 3.central
99
conductive
prevents the transmission of sound waves to the inner ear (e.g. wax, infection, inflammation)
100
sensorirneural
caused by damage to the cochlea or CNVIII (e.g. noise exposure, age-related, medications)
101
central
caused by damage within the CNS regions (e.g. by stroke)
102
what are auditory hallucinations associated with?
1.schizophrenia 2.seizure activity
103
Tinnitus
ringing in ears, various causes, medication overuse common.
104
what leads to altered activity of the vestibular system?
altered activity of the vestibular system.
105
what is nystagmus ?
normal response to head version, but pathological in absence of motion.
106
what is the motion sickness is the result of ?
result of the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) being unable to match eye motion to body position.

mental health + neurobiology (45 decks)

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