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)
What do exteroreceptors detect?
External stimuli such as touch, pressure, pain, and temperature.
What do interoreceptors detect?
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What do proprioceptors monitor?
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What do mechanoreceptors respond to?
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What do chemoreceptors respond to?
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What do photoreceptors respond to?
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What do nociceptors respond to?
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What are simple receptors?
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What are free nerve endings?
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What are encapsulated nerve endings?
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What are complex receptors?
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What is transduction in relation to sensory receptors?
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What are generator potentials?
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What are receptor potentials?
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How is information about intensity coded in the sensory system?
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What is population coding?
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What does duration refer to in sensory processing?
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What are phasic receptors?
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What are tonic receptors?
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Each sensory receptor can only respond to one type of stimulus.
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What do phasic receptors do?
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What do receptive fields monitor?
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What is lateral inhibition?
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What is convergence in the context of neurons?
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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.
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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.
