Lab 1: General Senses

Sensory System

Detects changes in the environment & transmits them to the CNS

1. stimulus

2. sensory receptor

3. dorsal root

4. spinal cord

5. spinothalamic tract; medial lemniscus

6. thalamus

7. ventrolateral nucleus

8. somatosensory cortex

Special Senses

• Vision

• Hearing

• Taste

• Smell

• Equilibrium

• receptors located in specific organs

General Senses

• Temperature

• Pain

• Tactile:

  • Touch, Pressure, Vibration

• Proprioception

• General sense receptors located throughout the body

Chemoreceptors

change in chemical concentration

Thermoreceptors

change in temperature

Nociceptors

senses pain

Mechanoreceptors

responds to mechanical stimuli

• baroreceptors

• proprioceptors

• tactile receptors

Baroreceptors

change in tension on blood vessel walls

Proprioceptors

changes in body position

Tactile Receptors

touch, pressure, vibration

Meissner’s Corpuscles

dermal papillae, light touch

Pacinian Corpuscles

deeper in the dermis, deep pressure and vibrations

Ruffini Endings

tugging on the skin

Root Hair Plexuses

movement

Merkel Cells

touch