Sensory Receptors Flashcards
26 Questions
102 Views

Choose a study mode

Play Quiz
Study Flashcards
Spaced Repetition
Chat to lesson

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

What are sensory receptors?

Specialized cells that detect stimulus information and transmit it to sensory nerves and the brain. They carry information towards the CNS.

Which of the following are characteristics of a stimulus receptor? (Select all that apply)

  • Not all sensory receptors are associated with a sensory neuron.
  • All sensory receptors detect a stimulus. (correct)
  • Sensory receptors respond best to one particular stimulus. (correct)
  • Most sensory receptors will work to depolarize and produce action potential. (correct)

    • What do exteroreceptors detect?

    External stimuli such as touch, pressure, pain, and temperature.

    What do interoreceptors detect?

    <p>Internal stimuli such as changes in chemical concentrations and temperature of internal organs.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What do proprioceptors monitor?

    <p>The position and movement of skeletal muscles and joints.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What do mechanoreceptors respond to?

    <p>Touch, pressure, vibration, stretch, and itch.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What do chemoreceptors respond to?

    <p>Chemicals.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What do photoreceptors respond to?

    <p>Light.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What do nociceptors respond to?

    <p>Pain.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are simple receptors?

    <p>General senses that may be unencapsulated or encapsulated dendritic endings.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are free nerve endings?

    <p>Naked dendrites of sensory neurons located throughout the epithelium and associated connective tissue.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are encapsulated nerve endings?

    <p>Dendrites enclosed in a connective tissue capsule for pressure, vibration, and some touch sensations.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are complex receptors?

    <p>Special sense organs such as vision, hearing, equilibrium, smell, and taste.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is transduction in relation to sensory receptors?

    <p>When a sensory receptor converts energy from one form into another form.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are generator potentials?

    <p>Simple receptors; usually depolarizations that generate action potentials.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are receptor potentials?

    <p>Complex receptors; depolarization without action potential formation signaling neurotransmitter release.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How is information about intensity coded in the sensory system?

    <p>By changing the frequency of the action potential.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is population coding?

    <p>When multiple receptors function together to send more information to the CNS than a single receptor could.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does duration refer to in sensory processing?

    <p>How long the stimulus lasts.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are phasic receptors?

    <p>Fast adapting receptors that respond strongly at the start and end of a stimulus.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are tonic receptors?

    <p>Very slow to adapt to a stimulus and continue to respond as long as it is present.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Each sensory receptor can only respond to one type of stimulus.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What do phasic receptors do?

    <p>Respond strongly to a stimulus when it changes.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What do receptive fields monitor?

    <p>An area of space that each receptor monitors, often overlapping.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is lateral inhibition?

    <p>When overlapping receptors inhibit each other to help pinpoint the stimulus.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is convergence in the context of neurons?

    <p>When two or more neurons synapse onto an interneuron.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Sensory Receptors Overview

    • Specialized cells detect stimulus information and transmit it to sensory nerves and the brain.
    • Sensory receptors carry information towards the Central Nervous System (CNS).

    Characteristics of Stimulus Receptors

    • All sensory receptors respond to stimuli and are linked with sensory neurons.
    • Sensory receptors generate action potentials when stimulated.
    • Each receptor typically responds best to a specific type of stimulus.

    Types of Sensory Receptors

    • Exteroreceptors: Detect external stimuli such as touch, pressure, pain, and temperature.
    • Interoreceptors: Monitor internal stimuli including chemical concentrations and temperature changes in internal organs.
    • Proprioceptors: Gauge the position and movement of muscles and joints, informing the CNS about body position.
    • Mechanoreceptors: Reacts to mechanical changes like pressure, vibration, and stretch.
    • Chemoreceptors: Sensitive to chemical changes in the environment.
    • Photoreceptors: Respond to light stimuli.
    • Nociceptors: Associated with the sensation of pain.

    Types of Receptor Structures

    • Simple Receptors: General senses with unencapsulated or encapsulated dendritic endings.
    • Free Nerve Endings: Dendrites without protective sheaths, found throughout epithelial and connective tissues, serving various sensory roles.
    • Encapsulated Nerve Endings: Dendrites enclosed in connective tissue capsules, facilitating pressure and vibration sensing.
    • Complex Receptors: Comprised of specialized sense organs like those for vision, hearing, or taste.

    Sensory Reception Mechanisms

    • Transduction: The conversion of energy from one form to another by sensory receptors.
    • Generator Potentials: Depolarizations in simple receptors leading to action potentials.
    • Receptor Potentials: Occur in complex receptors involving neurotransmitter release without generating action potentials.

    Sensory Signal Processing

    • Intensity Coding: Information about stimulus intensity is encoded through changes in action potential frequency.
    • Population Coding: Multiple receptors working together provide greater information to the CNS.

    Duration and Adaptation of Stimuli

    • Duration: Refers to how long a stimulus is perceived.
    • Phasic Receptors: Adapt quickly, responding strongly at the beginning and end of a stimulus.
    • Tonic Receptors: Slow to adapt; continuously respond as long as a stimulus is present.

    Additional Sensory Concepts

    • Receptive Field: The specific area monitored by each receptor, often overlapping with other fields.
    • Lateral Inhibition: Enhances sensory accuracy by inhibiting nearby receptors when a stimulus is strongly detected in one area.
    • Convergence: Multiple neurons synapsing onto a single interneuron, complicating the identification of which neuron sent the signal.

    Common Misconceptions

    • Not all sensory receptors respond exclusively to one type of stimulus, countering a common misconception.

    Studying That Suits You

    Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

    Quiz Team

    Description

    Test your knowledge on sensory receptors with these flashcards. Learn about specialized cells responsible for detecting stimulus information and their characteristics. Perfect for students studying biology or neuroscience.

    More Like This

    Sensory System Quiz
    3 questions

    Sensory System Quiz

    HalcyonRiver avatar
    HalcyonRiver
    Stimulus Classes
    20 questions

    Stimulus Classes

    AdvancedLobster avatar
    AdvancedLobster
    Sensory Receptors Overview
    77 questions

    Sensory Receptors Overview

    FormidablePennywhistle avatar
    FormidablePennywhistle
    Use Quizgecko on...
    Browser
    Open
    Browser
    Browser