Special Senses and General Senses

These flashcards cover essential vocabulary related to special senses, including olfaction, gustation, hearing, and vision.

Special Senses

Includes vision, smell, taste, hearing, and equilibrium; contains specialized receptor cells.

General Senses

Includes touch, pressure, vibration, pain, and heat; consists of modified dendrites of sensory neurons.

Olfaction

The chemical sense of smell; detection of airborne chemicals.

Gustatory

The chemical sense of taste; detection of water-soluble molecules.

Taste Buds

Structures on the tongue and mouth that contain taste receptors activated by dissolved chemical substances.

Anosmia

Loss of smell, potentially caused by damage to the olfactory pathway.

Ageusia

Loss of taste, which may contribute from the olfactory system.

Salty Channels

Taste channels that involve the direct diffusion of sodium ions (Na+) for depolarization.

Sour Channels

Taste channels that involve the direct diffusion of hydrogen ions (H+) for depolarization.

Phototransduction

The process of converting light stimuli into electrical signals in the retina.

Cochlea

The structure in the inner ear responsible for hearing; contains the Organ of Corti.

Homeostatic Imbalances of Gustatory System

Disorders affecting taste including Ageusia and dry mouth due to salivary gland issues.

Vestibular Pathway

The pathway involved in the sense of balance and coordination of eye movements.

Photoreceptors

Cells in the retina that detect light and are divided into rods and cones.

Visual Acuity

The sharpness of vision, best at the fovea centralis where light is focused.

Blind Spot

The region on the retina where optic nerve fibers exit; contains no photoreceptors.

Decibels

Units measuring sound intensity; high amplitude denotes loud sounds, while low amplitude denotes quiet sounds.