Special Senses

These flashcards cover key concepts about the special senses, including structure, function, and relevant diseases.

What are the five special senses?

Taste, smell, sight, hearing, and balance.

What type of receptors are specialized for taste and smell?

Chemoreceptors.

Where are taste receptors located?

In taste buds found on the surface of the tongue.

What are the three types of papillae that contain taste buds?

Fungiform, vallate, and foliate papillae.

What are gustatory cells?

Neuroepithelial cells that detect tastants in food.

What is the function of the olfactory receptors?

To detect odors in the olfactory epithelium.

What is the dominant sense in humans?

Vision.

What is the function of the lacrimal gland?

To produce tears that nourish the cornea and remove waste.

What are the three main regions of the ear?

External ear, middle ear, and internal ear.

What is the primary function of the cochlea?

To facilitate hearing through sensory epithelium and hair cells.

What structure in the eye is responsible for the majority of light refraction?

The cornea.

What is the role of the ciliary muscles in vision?

To adjust the lens for focusing on near and far objects.

What are photoreceptors in the retina responsible for?

Detecting light; rods are for dim light and cones for color vision.

How does the eye regulate light entry?

Through pupil dilation and constriction using sphincter and dilator muscles.

What condition is characterized by clouding of the lens?

Cataract.

What is the significance of the fovea centralis?

It contains a high density of cone photoreceptors for sharp central vision.

What is the function of hair cells in the vestibular apparatus?

To detect movement and position of the head for equilibrium.

What does the term 'phototransduction' refer to?

The process of converting light energy into a graded receptor potential.

What are the auditory ossicles?

Three small bones in the middle ear: malleus, incus, and stapes.

What causes hearing loss at high noise levels (90 dB+)?

Prolonged exposure to high decibel levels can damage hearing.