Basic Sensory Information and Neural Systems

This set of flashcards covers key concepts related to sensory systems, receptors, perception, motor control, and neural coding discussed in the lecture.

Receptor Cells

Specialized neurons that detect sensory attributes and convert them into electrical signals.

Stimulus

A physical event that triggers a sensory response.

Sensation vs Perception

Sensation is the detection of physical stimuli, while perception is the conscious awareness of those stimuli.

Bistable Perception

When a stimulus can be perceived in two different ways but not simultaneously.

Synesthesia

A condition in which stimulation of one sensory modality leads to perception in another.

Photoreceptors

Cells in the retina that respond to light; includes rods and cones.

Rods

Photoreceptors active at low light levels responsible for peripheral vision.

Cones

Photoreceptors active in bright light responsible for color vision.

Fovea

The central portion of the retina with the highest visual acuity and most cones.

Olfaction

The sense of smell, which bypasses the thalamus and goes directly to the olfactory bulb.

Hair Cells

Non-neuronal transducers in hearing and balance that detect mechanical changes.

Tip-links

Spring-like connectors between stereocilia in hair cells that facilitate ion flow when cilia are deflected.

Decoding

The process by which action potentials are interpreted by the brain to reconstruct stimuli.

Receptive Field

The specific part of the sensory field that a single neuron integrates sensory information from.

Motor Plan

A plan for a series of muscle contractions aimed at achieving a specific goal.

Proprioception

The body's ability to sense its position and movement in space.

Super-additivity

An important principle in sensory detection where weak stimuli are enhanced.

Nociception

The sensory perception of pain and damage caused to cells.

Somatosensation

The sensory modality that provides information about body sensations such as touch and pain.

Efference Copy

A neural signal that allows comparison between intended movement and actual movement.

Population Coding

The method of representing information by the collective activity of a population of neurons.

Tuning Curve

A graph showing how a neuron responds to different stimuli, indicating its preferred stimulus direction.