Sensory Systems and Alterations – Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering essential terms and definitions from the Sensory Systems and Alterations lecture.

Sensory Experience

The total of reception, perception, and reaction to stimuli.

Reception

Stimulation of a receptor that generates a nerve impulse to the spinal cord or brain.

Perception

Conscious awareness, integration, and interpretation of sensory input based on past experience.

Reaction

The brain’s decision to store, discard, or respond to sensory information.

Visual Sense

Ability to see; one of the primary senses for environmental awareness.

Auditory Sense

Ability to hear and interpret sound waves.

Tactile Sense

Sense of touch, including pressure, pain, and temperature.

Olfactory Sense

Sense of smell.

Gustatory Sense

Sense of taste.

Kinesthetic Sense

Awareness of body position and movement (proprioception).

Stereognosis

Ability to recognize an object by touch with eyes closed.

Sensory Deficit

Loss or impairment of normal sensory reception or perception.

Sensory Deprivation

Inadequate sensory input leading to cognitive, affective, or perceptual changes.

Sensory Overload

Excessive sensory stimuli that the brain cannot effectively process.

Presbyopia

Age-related loss of lens accommodation causing difficulty focusing on near objects.

Myopia

Nearsightedness; light focuses in front of the retina.

Hyperopia

Farsightedness; light focuses behind the retina.

Astigmatism

Blurred vision from irregular curvature of the cornea or lens.

Glaucoma

Optic nerve damage usually related to increased intraocular pressure.

Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma

Chronic form with gradual peripheral vision loss (“tunnel vision”).

Angle-Closure Glaucoma

Acute obstruction of aqueous outflow with sudden pain and halos around lights.

Cataract

Opacity of the lens leading to decreased vision and glare.

Macular Degeneration (AMD)

Degeneration of macular cells causing central vision loss.

Dry AMD

Most common, slow atrophy of macular cells.

Wet AMD

Severe, rapid form with abnormal blood vessel growth under the macula.

Presbycusis

Age-related bilateral sensorineural hearing loss.

Cerumen Impaction

Accumulation of earwax causing conductive hearing loss.

Ménière’s Disease

Inner-ear disorder with vertigo, tinnitus, fluctuating hearing loss, and aural fullness.

Vertigo

Illusion of motion or spinning sensation.

Tinnitus

Perception of ringing or noise without external sound.

Nystagmus

Involuntary rhythmic eye movement indicating vestibular dysfunction.

Conductive Hearing Loss

Impaired sound transmission to the inner ear (e.g., cerumen, otitis media).

Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Damage to inner ear or nerve pathways (e.g., presbycusis, ototoxicity).

Mixed Hearing Loss

Combination of conductive and sensorineural deficits.

Central Hearing Loss

Inability of CNS to interpret sound despite normal peripheral hearing.

Aphasia

Loss of ability to understand or express language.

Expressive Aphasia

Motor aphasia; inability to name objects or express ideas verbally or in writing.

Receptive Aphasia

Sensory aphasia; inability to comprehend spoken or written language.

Ototoxic Medication

Drug capable of damaging the auditory nerve (e.g., gentamicin, furosemide).

PERRLA

Pupils Equal, Round, Reactive to Light and Accommodation; basic eye assessment.

Conjunctivitis

Inflammation of the conjunctiva; “pink eye.”

Corneal Ulcer

Local tissue loss of the cornea caused by infection; risk for blindness.

Corneal Transplant

Surgical replacement of damaged corneal tissue.

Retinopathy

Microvascular retinal damage, commonly from diabetes or hypertension.

Retinal Detachment

Separation of retina from underlying tissue; presents with photopsia, floaters, shadow.

Scleral Buckling

Surgical indentation of the globe to repair retinal detachment.

Otosclerosis

Autosomal-dominant fixation of stapes causing conductive hearing loss in young adults.

Whisper Test

Simple bedside assessment of auditory acuity.

Weber Test

Tuning-fork test that evaluates sound lateralization to identify conductive loss.

Rinne Test

Tuning-fork test comparing air- and bone-conduction hearing.

Eustachian Tube

Canal connecting middle ear to nasopharynx; equalizes pressure.

Ossicles

Three small middle-ear bones: malleus, incus, stapes.

Tympanic Membrane

Eardrum separating external from middle ear; transmits sound vibrations.

Cochlea

Inner-ear spiral organ for hearing containing the Organ of Corti.

Organ of Corti

Receptor organ for hearing located within the cochlea.

Semicircular Canals

Inner-ear structures essential for balance and head position sense.

Otitis Media

Inflammation of middle ear; common cause of ear pain and fever in children.

Otitis Media with Effusion

Middle-ear fluid without infection; sense of fullness and hearing loss.

Myringotomy

Surgical incision of the tympanic membrane to drain fluid.

Cerumen

Earwax produced by glands in the external auditory canal.

Whispered Voice

Low-intensity speech used to evaluate high-frequency hearing.

Proprioception

Sense of body and limb position, important for balance.

Safety Measures for Visual Impairment

Clear pathways, consistent placement of items, adequate lighting, sighted guide technique.

Sighted-Guide Technique

Walking one step ahead while patient holds guide’s arm; verbally describing surroundings.

Communication Board

Assistive device with pictures/words to facilitate communication for speech-impaired patients.

Age-Related Changes in Vision

Reduced acuity, night vision, depth perception; need for reading glasses.

Meaningful Stimuli

Environmental factors that keep a person alert and oriented, preventing sensory deprivation.

Sensory Assessment

Comprehensive evaluation of vision, hearing, touch, smell, taste, and balance.

Environmental Safety for Sensory Deficits

Adjust lighting, remove clutter, mark faucets, provide grab bars to minimize injury risk.