Somatosensation, Olfaction, Pheromones, and Gustation

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering the physiological mechanisms of somatosensation, olfactory processing, pheromone detection in animals, and the localization of taste receptors.

Thermoception

The sensory process of detecting temperature.

Mechanoception

The sensory process of detecting pressure.

Nociception

The sensory process of detecting pain.

Proprioception

The cognitive awareness of the body's position in space which includes the sense of balance.

Sensory Adaptation

A change over time of a receptor to a constant stimulus, known as downregulation, which prevents cell death from overexcitation.

Sensory Amplification

The upregulation of a sensory signal, such as when one firing action potential causes multiple connected cells to also fire.

Somatosensory Homunculus

A topological map of the body found in the sensory cortex of the brain.

Kinaesthesia

A behavioral sense focused on the movement of the body that does not include the sense of balance.

TrypV1 receptor

A protein receptor sensitive to both temperature and pain that undergoes a conformational change when activated by heat or molecules released from broken cells.

A-beta fibres

Fast, thick somatosensory nerve fibers covered in myelin that exhibit high conductance and low resistance.

A-delta fibres

Medium-speed somatosensory nerve fibers with a smaller diameter and less myelin than A-beta fibres.

C fibres

Small diameter, unmyelinated nerve fibers that transmit a lingering sense of pain.

Olfaction

The medical term for the sense of smell.

Cribriform plate

A bone structure that separates the olfactory epithelium in the nostril from the brain.

Olfactory bulb

A bundle of nerves extending from the brain through the cribriform plate into the olfactory epithelium.

Glomerulus

A specific location within the olfactory bulb where all epithelial cells sensitive to a particular type of molecule synapse.

Mitral/tufted cell

Cells that synapse with olfactory receptors in the glomerulus and project sensory information to the brain.

Pheromone

A chemical signal released by one member of a species and sensed by another to trigger an innate response, often linked to mating or communication.

Accessory olfactory epithelium

A specialized part of the olfactory system in animals that sends projections to the accessory olfactory bulb.

Vomeronasal system

A system within the accessory olfactory epithelium containing basal and apical cells with receptors at their tips.

Amygdala

An area of the brain involved with emotion, aggression, and mating that receives signals from the vomeronasal system via the accessory olfactory bulb.

Umami

One of the $5$ main tastes, defined as the ability to taste glutamate.

Fungiform papillae

Taste buds localized on the anterior (front) part of the tongue.

Foliate papillae

Taste buds localized on the sides of the tongue.

Circumvallate papillae

Taste buds localized on the back of the tongue.