Sensory Perception and Responses

Sensory neurons that carry sensory information to the central nervous system (CNS).

Motor neurons that carry motor information from the CNS to the body.

Nerves that transmit sensory information from the body to the brain.

Nerves that transmit motor commands from the brain to the muscles.

The brain and spinal cord; the central processing unit of the nervous system.

A specialized tissue lining the superior nasal cavity responsible for detecting odor molecules.

The process where odor molecules attach to receptors on olfactory cilia, initiating the transduction of smell signals.

Neurons located within the olfactory epithelium that have dendrites extending into the mucus, responsible for detecting odor molecules.

The process by which odor molecules are converted from a chemical signal into an electrical signal, ultimately reaching the brain for interpretation.

Odor molecules enter the nose, bind to receptors in the olfactory epithelium, trigger a signal, travel through the ethmoid bone to the olfactory bulb, and finally reach the brain.

The part of the peripheral nervous system responsible for conscious control of voluntary movements and receiving sensory information about the environment.

Senses detected by receptors found throughout the body, providing information about touch, pressure, temperature, and pain.

Senses that rely on specialized organs for detection, including taste, smell, hearing, balance, and sight.

Sensory receptors located near stimuli in the external environment, like those in the skin.

Sensory receptors located within internal organs and tissues, providing information about internal conditions.

Sensory receptors located near moving parts of the body, providing information about body position and movement.

A cluster of specialized gustatory receptor cells that detect taste molecules in food.

Small bumps on the tongue that contain taste buds.

Mushroom-shaped papillae scattered across the tongue, responsible for taste, pressure, and temperature.

Club-shaped papillae covering the tongue's anterior two-thirds, responsible for touch but not taste.

Short, vertical folds found at the back and sides of the tongue, less common and responsible for taste.

Dome-shaped papillae arranged in a row at the back of the tongue, responsible for taste.

A food molecule that dissolves in saliva and binds to taste receptors.

The outer, visible part of the ear. It's shaped like a 'C' to catch sound waves and direct them towards the ear canal.

A tube that connects the auricle to the eardrum. It helps to direct sound waves deeper into the ear.

A thin, flexible membrane that vibrates in response to sound waves. It's also known as the eardrum.

Three tiny bones in the middle ear: malleus, incus, and stapes. They amplify and transmit sound vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear.

The first ossicle, shaped like a hammer. It receives vibrations from the eardrum.

The middle ossicle, shaped like an anvil. It connects the malleus to the stapes.

The smallest bone in the body, shaped like a stirrup. It transmits vibrations to the oval window of the cochlea.

A tube that connects the middle ear to the throat. It helps to equalize pressure and drain fluid from the ear.

The sensory system responsible for detecting and interpreting head position, movement, and acceleration in space. It plays a crucial role in maintaining balance and coordinating movements.

Specialized sensory cells within the vestibular system that detect head movement and position. These cells have hair-like structures called stereocilia that bend in response to fluid flow or gravity.

Two chambers within the vestibule of the inner ear that sense head position relative to gravity. They contain sensory epithelium called macula, which houses hair cells with stereocilia.

A gelatinous layer that covers the macula in the utricle and saccule. Embedded within this membrane are calcium carbonate crystals called otoliths.

Tiny calcium carbonate crystals embedded in the otolithic membrane of the utricle and saccule. They move in response to gravity, bending stereocilia and triggering signals.

Three fluid-filled canals in the inner ear that detect head rotation and angular acceleration. They are oriented in three different planes, allowing for detection of movement in any direction.

A bulbous structure at the base of each semicircular canal where it connects to the vestibule. The ampulla contains hair cells with stereocilia that project into a gelatinous structure called the cupula.

A gelatinous, dome-shaped structure located in the ampulla of each semicircular canal. It is displaced by fluid movement during head rotation, bending stereocilia and triggering signals.

A structure within the cochlea, containing sensory hair cells responsible for converting sound vibrations into electrical signals.

Tiny hair-like structures on the surface of hair cells within the organ of Corti, which bend in response to sound waves.

A flexible membrane within the cochlea that vibrates in response to sound waves, causing the hair cells to bend.

A snail-shaped structure within the inner ear that's responsible for converting sound vibrations into electrical signals.

Different frequencies of sound cause different parts of the basilar membrane to vibrate. Higher frequencies cause maximum vibration near the base, while lower frequencies cause maximum vibration near the tip.