Chapter 17: The Special Senses

These flashcards cover the key concepts from Chapter 17 on the Special Senses, including olfaction, gustation, vision, hearing, and equilibrium.

What are the five special senses?

Olfaction (smell), Gustation (taste), Vision, Equilibrium (balance), Hearing

What is olfaction?

The sense of smell perceived by chemoreceptors in the nasal cavity.

What role do olfactory glands play in the olfactory epithelium?

They secrete mucus which binds and dissolves odorants and lubricates and protects the olfactory epithelium.

What form the olfactory nerve (CN I)?

Bundles of axons from olfactory sensory neurons.

How does olfactory information travel to the brain?

It travels from the olfactory bulb to the olfactory cortex, hypothalamus, and limbic system.

What are the primary taste sensations?

Sweet, Salty, Sour, Bitter, and two additional sensations Umami and Water.

Where are gustatory chemoreceptors found?

In gustatory organs called taste buds located on the superior surface of the tongue and portions of the pharynx and larynx.

What is the function of the ciliary body?

It contains ciliary muscles that control the shape of the lens for focusing.

What types of visual receptors are found in the retina?

Rods (sensitive to light) and Cones (detect colors).

What is myopia?

Nearsightedness where distant objects appear blurry because the image is projected in front of the retina.

What is hyperopia?

Farsightedness where the image focuses behind the retina.

What is the function of the external ear?

To channel sounds into the auditory canal and protect the inner structures.

What are the auditory ossicles?

Tiny bones in the middle ear composed of Malleus, Incus, and Stapes that transmit sound vibrations.

What is the role of the cochlea?

To convert sound vibrations into pressure waves detected by hair cells for hearing.

What structures facilitate the sensation of equilibrium in the ear?

The semicircular canals and vestibule which contain hair cells detecting head movements.

How does sound transduction occur in the cochlea?

Sound waves are converted into mechanical movements that then create pressure waves in fluid, detected by hair cells.

What is the significance of the optic chiasm?

It's where approximately half of the optic nerves cross which facilitates depth perception.

What is visual acuity?

The clarity of vision compared to normal, measured using a Snellen Chart.