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Questions and Answers
What effect does a longer and stronger stimulus have on neurotransmitter release?
What effect does a longer and stronger stimulus have on neurotransmitter release?
What is the function of receptive fields in regards to neuron activity?
What is the function of receptive fields in regards to neuron activity?
At what threshold does the membrane potential become sufficient to elicit an action potential?
At what threshold does the membrane potential become sufficient to elicit an action potential?
How does the amplitude of a stimulus affect the membrane potential?
How does the amplitude of a stimulus affect the membrane potential?
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What is indicated if a stimulus has a smaller amplitude and shorter duration?
What is indicated if a stimulus has a smaller amplitude and shorter duration?
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What is the main difference between action potentials and receptor potentials?
What is the main difference between action potentials and receptor potentials?
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How does a stronger stimulus affect receptor potentials?
How does a stronger stimulus affect receptor potentials?
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What occurs immediately after the alteration of receptor membrane due to stimulus application?
What occurs immediately after the alteration of receptor membrane due to stimulus application?
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What type of receptors are primarily responsible for detecting tissue damage?
What type of receptors are primarily responsible for detecting tissue damage?
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Which type of sensory receptor is mainly responsible for detecting wavelengths in the visible spectrum?
Which type of sensory receptor is mainly responsible for detecting wavelengths in the visible spectrum?
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What triggers the change in frequency of action potentials?
What triggers the change in frequency of action potentials?
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What is the primary function of afferent neurons in the peripheral nervous system?
What is the primary function of afferent neurons in the peripheral nervous system?
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Which statement correctly describes the propagation of action potentials?
Which statement correctly describes the propagation of action potentials?
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Which of the following best describes the function of thermoreceptors?
Which of the following best describes the function of thermoreceptors?
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What happens during the transduction process at a complex neural receptor?
What happens during the transduction process at a complex neural receptor?
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Which of the following best represents the role of the central nervous system (CNS) in sensation?
Which of the following best represents the role of the central nervous system (CNS) in sensation?
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What type of energy do mechanoreceptors primarily respond to?
What type of energy do mechanoreceptors primarily respond to?
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Which of the following sensory modalities is NOT classified under the special senses?
Which of the following sensory modalities is NOT classified under the special senses?
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What type of cells are responsible for olfaction?
What type of cells are responsible for olfaction?
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How many different odor receptors do humans have approximately?
How many different odor receptors do humans have approximately?
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What are the five primary taste sensations recognized in taste perception?
What are the five primary taste sensations recognized in taste perception?
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How many taste buds do humans typically have?
How many taste buds do humans typically have?
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Which part of the central nervous system is NOT mentioned as important for sensory physiology?
Which part of the central nervous system is NOT mentioned as important for sensory physiology?
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Which lobe of the brain is primarily associated with movement and cognition?
Which lobe of the brain is primarily associated with movement and cognition?
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What sensory function is associated with the auditory cortex?
What sensory function is associated with the auditory cortex?
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Which part of the nervous system is responsible for the sense of balance?
Which part of the nervous system is responsible for the sense of balance?
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Which area of the brain is involved in processing visual information?
Which area of the brain is involved in processing visual information?
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What is the primary region in the brain for processing the sense of touch?
What is the primary region in the brain for processing the sense of touch?
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Study Notes
Sensory Physiology Overview
- Sensory Physiology is a study of the nervous system, covering general sensory system properties, somatic senses, vision, hearing, and the spinal cord/motor cortex.
Overview of This Section
- General Properties of Sensory Systems: Includes smell and taste.
- Somatic Senses: Focuses on touch, temperature, and pain.
- Vision
- Hearing
- Spinal Cord and Motor Cortex
Sensation and Motor Control
- Sensory input is transmitted through the nervous system to the brain.
- The brain integrates the sensory information.
- Motor output is created based on the brain's integration.
- The process illustrates how sensory input affects motor control.
Basic Principles of Sensation
- The afferent division of the peripheral nervous system provides information about the internal and external environment.
- Our bodies detect specific types of energies or stimulus modalities.
- Specialized receptors within the afferent division convert stimuli into action potentials, transmitted to the central nervous system (CNS).
General Overview
- A stimulus is converted into a response through receptors, neurons, and the CNS.
- The CNS interprets and responds to the sensory information.
Types of Sensory Receptors
- Photoreceptors respond to wavelengths within the visible spectrum.
- Mechanoreceptors detect mechanical energy like stretch, deformation, or bending.
- Chemoreceptors detect specific chemicals.
- Nociceptors are pain receptors triggered by tissue damage.
- Thermoreceptors detect heat and cold.
- Osmoreceptors monitor solute concentration and osmotic activity.
Two Classes of Sensory Receptors
- Complex Neural Receptors have specialized nerve endings, myelinated axons, and cell bodies (e.g., olfaction and somatic senses).
- Special Senses Receptors include specialized receptors, synapses, myelinated axons, and cell bodies(e.g., vision, hearing, balance, and taste).
Transduction at Complex Neural Receptor
- Stimulus application alters the receptor membrane (e.g., opening sodium channels).
- There's a current flow within the receptor.
- Graded potentials, known as receptor potentials, alter in frequency.
- Action potentials traverse the central nervous system.
Transduction at Special Senses Receptor
- Stimulus application alters receptor membrane (e.g., light causing sodium channels to close).
- Local current flow creates receptor potentials (graded potentials).
- Neurotransmitters are released.
- Postsynaptic membrane potential changes.
- Frequency of action potentials (APs) varies.
- APs travel to the central nervous system.
Action Potentials vs. Receptor Potentials
- Receptor potentials differ from action potentials.
- Action potentials are all-or-none events propagating down the axon.
- Receptor potentials are graded, varying in amplitude and dissipating over time and distance.
Intensity and Duration of Stimulus
- Stronger or longer stimulus leads to higher-frequency action potentials.
- This results in more neurotransmitter release.
Receptive Fields
- A receptive field is the part of the sensory space that can affect a neuron's activity.
Smell
- Olfactory receptor cells (primary sensory neurons) synapse with secondary neurons in the olfactory bulb.
- About 350 different odor receptors.
- Combinations of signals from these neurons allow us to perceive various smells.
Taste
- Taste is a combination of sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami sensations.
- About 2000-5000 taste buds.
- Each taste bud has 50-150 taste cells (non-neural epithelial).
- These taste cells are responsible for taste transduction.
Important Structures of the CNS for Sensory Physiology
- Cerebrum (cortex, basal ganglia, limbic system)
- Cerebellum
- Brain stem (medulla oblongata, pons, midbrain)
- Diencephalon (thalamus, hypothalamus, pineal gland, pituitary gland)
- Spinal cord
Cortical Anatomy
- Frontal lobe (movement and cognition)
- Parietal lobe (sensation)
- Temporal lobe (hearing and object perception)
- Occipital lobe (vision)
Smell – Brain Pathways
- Olfactory cortex and olfactory bulb involved.
Taste – Brain Pathways
- Gustatory cortex, thalamus, and brain stem involved.
Touch – Somatic Senses- Brain Pathways
- Somatosensory cortex, thalamus, and brain stem involved.
Vision – Brain Pathways
- Thalamus and visual cortex are part of the pathway.
Hearing – Brain Pathways
- Thalamus and auditory cortex are part of the pathway.
Balance – Brain Pathways
- Thalamus and the vestibular apparatus are part of the pathway.
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Description
Explore the intriguing world of sensory physiology, which encompasses the study of the nervous system, sensory systems, and motor control. This overview covers essential topics like vision, hearing, somatic senses, and the role of the spinal cord in sensory integration.