BIO 202 Chapter 17: Olfactory and Sensory Reception

Given the complexities of olfactory discrimination, if a novel anosmic agent selectively ablates sustentacular cells within the olfactory epithelium, what specific downstream effect would most immediately compromise olfactory reception, assuming olfactory sensory neurons remain structurally intact initially?

In the context of gustatory transduction, if a novel pharmacological agent selectively inhibits the activity of phospholipase C (PLC) in taste receptor cells, which of the following taste modalities would be MOST directly impaired?

Considering the intricacies of the lacrimal apparatus, identify the most probable consequence of a complete obstruction within the lacrimal canaliculi, proximal to the lacrimal sac?

If a mutation caused non-functional crystallins, what would be the most likely result?

Given the intricacies of phototransduction, if a novel, highly specific antagonist to rhodopsin kinase were introduced into the retinal environment, which of the following immediate consequences would most likely occur?

Considering the neural circuitry of visual processing, what specific functional deficit would be expected following selective ablation of all horizontal cells within the retina?

After a traumatic brain injury a patient has the inability to detect the position of their head, which structure has most likely been damaged?

Given the complex physiology of hearing, if a novel ototoxic drug selectively targets and destroys outer hair cells within the organ of Corti, what immediate and primary auditory deficit would be most anticipated?

Following the severing of the right optic nerve a patient would be expected to have?

Within the olfactory system, what specific enzymatic process is MOST directly responsible for terminating the generator potential in olfactory sensory neurons following odorant binding?

In the context of gustatory signal transduction, if a research team develops a highly selective inhibitor of the TRPM5 ion channel expressed in taste receptor cells, which specific taste modality would be MOST directly affected?

What specific biophysical mechanism underlies the phenomenon of accommodation, allowing the eye to focus on objects at varying distances?

Which cellular component contains glands producing thick secretions at the medial angle of the eye?

In the context of scotopic vision, what specific adaptation within rod photoreceptors contributes MOST significantly to their heightened sensitivity to low light levels?

What would happen to a patient with their tensor tympani severed?

Given the complexities of the auditory pathways, if a lesion selectively ablates the medial geniculate body (MGB) of the thalamus bilaterally, which specific auditory function would be MOST severely compromised?

What is the functional consequence of horizontal cell inhibition on bipolar cells within the retina?

Within the vestibular system, what is the functional role of otoliths?

A drug blocks the neurotransmitter being released by the hair cells in the cochlea, what would be the result?

If damage occurred to hair cells in the saccule, but not the utricle, of the vestibular system, what specific sensory deficit would be most likely observed?

If a patient presents with a lesion affecting the right optic tract posterior to the optic chiasm, what visual field deficit would be expected?

In the context of olfactory signal transduction, what is the specific role of cyclic AMP (cAMP) in generating the generator potential within olfactory sensory neurons?

After administration of a novel diuretic, a patient develops a selective hyposensitivity to salty taste. Electrophysiological studies reveal normal function of amiloride-sensitive sodium channels in taste receptor cells. Which of the following intracellular signaling molecules would most likely be directly implicated in this acquired taste deficit?

Given common etiologies for scotomas, what specific pathological process within the visual pathway would MOST likely result in an arcuate scotoma, respecting the anatomical distribution of nerve fibers?