APHY101- Anatomy & Physiology I Chapter 15- The Special Senses

Vocabulary flashcards covering the anatomy and physiology of the special senses, including taste, smell, vision, hearing, and equilibrium.

Gustation

The special sense of taste, which utilizes chemoreceptors to detect chemical stimuli.

Olfaction

The special sense of smell, sensed by chemoreceptors and carried by the olfactory cranial nerve.

Visual Cortex

The area of the brain, located in the occipital lobe, where visual information is processed.

Eyeball Layers

The three structural layers of the eyeball, including the fibrous, vascular, and sensory layers.

Rods

Photoreceptors in the retina that are significant for vision in dim light and peripheral vision.

Cones

Photoreceptors in the retina that are responsible for color vision and visual acuity.

Fovea centralis

A small pit in the retina that provides the highest visual acuity and sharpest focus.

Macula lutea

The yellow-pigmented area surrounding the fovea centralis in the retina.

Optic disc

The area where the optic nerve exits the eyeball, commonly known as the blind spot because it lacks photoreceptors.

Vitreous humor

The clear, gel-like substance found in the posterior segment of the eye.

Aqueous humor

The watery fluid found in the anterior segment of the eye.

Lens accommodation

The process by which the eye's lens changes shape to focus light on the retina for objects at different distances.

Myopia

An eye condition commonly known as nearsightedness.

Hyperopia

An eye condition commonly known as farsightedness.

Astigmatism

A condition caused by an irregular curvature of the cornea or lens, resulting in blurred vision.

Cataracts

An eye condition characterized by the clouding of the lens, which obstructs vision.

Glaucoma

An eye condition characterized by increased intraocular pressure, which can damage the optic nerve.

Static equilibrium

The sense of balance and head position controlled by the utricle and saccule when the body is not moving.

Dynamic equilibrium

The sense of balance during rotational or sudden movements, controlled by the crista ampullaris.

Osseous labyrinth

The bony outer shell of the inner ear that surrounds the membranous labyrinth.

Membranous labyrinth

The system of fluid-filled sacs and ducts located inside the osseous labyrinth of the inner ear.

Tinnitus

A sensation of ringing or noise in the ears, most commonly caused by hearing loss or ear injury.

Spiral organ (of Corti)

The organ of hearing located within the cochlea of the inner ear.

Crista ampullaris

The sensory organ for dynamic equilibrium located within the semicircular canals.

Utricle and Saccule

Sensory structures within the vestibule that are responsible for monitoring static equilibrium.