Sensory Mechanisms and Processing

This set of flashcards covers key vocabulary and concepts related to sensory mechanisms, sensory processing, and the functions of the nervous system as presented in the lecture notes.

Sensory Mechanisms

Processes through which we receive and interpret sensory stimuli.

Action Potentials (APs)

Electrical impulses that travel along neurons to transmit information to the central nervous system.

Transduction

Conversion of stimulus energy into a neuronal signal.

Encoding

The process of converting sensory input into a format that can be processed by the nervous system.

Interpretation

The brain's ability to make sense of sensory information.

Efferent Neurons

Nerve cells that carry signals from the central nervous system to effectors such as muscles or glands.

Afferent Neurons

Nerve cells that carry sensory information from the periphery to the central nervous system.

Receptor Potential

A graded change in membrane potential in response to a stimulus.

Sensory Adaptation

The process by which sensory receptors become less responsive to constant stimuli.

Chemoreceptors

Sensory receptors that respond to chemical stimuli, such as taste and smell.

Mechanoreceptors

Sensory receptors that respond to mechanical pressure or distortion.

Thermoreceptors

Sensory receptors that respond to changes in temperature.

Nociceptors

Sensory receptors that respond to pain stimuli.

Electromagnetic Receptors

Sensory receptors that detect electromagnetic energy, such as light.

Intensity of Stimulus

Determined by the number of activated receptors and the frequency of action potentials.

Spatial Encoding

The location of activated receptors that provides information about the source of a stimulus.

Have you heard of sensory adaptation?

Yes, it's the reduced responsiveness of sensory receptors to persistent stimuli.

What is perception?

The ability to discriminate and meaningfully interpret different aspects of a stimulus.

Hierarchical Processing

The organization of the nervous system where different parts process various levels of sensory information.

What are the functions of the nervous system?

Rapid communication, information processing, sensory input, integration, interpretation, and motor output.

What does the term 'sensory pathways' refer to?

The routes that sensory information takes to reach the brain.

Sensory Receptors

Structures that respond to specific types of stimuli and initiate sensory signaling.

Coding of Stimulus Intensity

The relationship between stimulus strength and action potential frequency.

What is amplification in sensory processing?

The increase in the strength of a sensory signal, often through a cascade of cellular events.

What is the role of hair cells in sensory reception?

They convey information about bending through changes in their spontaneous activity.

What is meant by 'spatial localization' in sensory processing?

Determining the specific location of the stimulus source based on receptor activation.

What involves the integration of sensory modalities?

Combining information from different sensory systems in higher association centers.

CNS

Central Nervous System, responsible for processing sensory information and generating responses.

Periphery

The outer parts of the body, which include sensory receptors transmitting information to the CNS.

What triggers sensations?

Sensory stimuli detected by sensory receptors.

What is a receptor's membrane permeability?

Its ability to change in response to stimuli, affecting the receptor potential.

What does the term 'effector cells' refer to?

Cells that carry out responses triggered by signals from the CNS.

Predominant function of chemoreceptors?

To process chemical signals related to taste and smell.

What signals are transmitted as action potentials?

Electrical impulses that relay information about sensory stimuli to the brain.

What is the importance of 'timing of receptor activation'?

It helps determine specific sensory perceptions, especially in sound and smell.

What happens when stimulus energy is converted?

It causes a change in receptor membrane permeability leading to receptor potential.

What are the structural organization types of neurons?

Afferent and efferent neural pathways categorized by their direction of signal transmission.

Processing of sensory information leads to __.

Perception.

What is the role of sensory pathways?

To carry action potentials from sensory receptors to the brain.

How is sensory information organized in the brain?

Through hierarchical and parallel processing.

What connects the periphery to the CNS?

Afferent neurons.

What influences perception the most?

The integration of various sensory information and past experiences.

What defines 'input interpretation' in sensory systems?

The brain's assessment of sensory signals leading to a conscious experience.

Graded changes in membrane potential are also known as __.

Receptor potentials.

What type of information does thermoreceptors provide?

Information about temperature changes in the environment.

What do mechanoreceptors detect?

Mechanical forces such as pressure, vibration, and touch.

The ability to process and integrate sensory information begins in __.

The sensory pathways.

What happens during sensory adaptation?

The receptor reduces its response to a continuous stimulus over time.

Describe the relationship between stimulus strength and action potential frequency.

Higher stimulus strength leads to a higher frequency of action potentials.

What is the impact of location and timing on sensory perception?

They help the brain determine the context and nature of the stimulus.

What are nociceptors primarily concerned with?

The detection of potentially harmful stimuli resulting in pain.

Neuronal signal travels from to .

Sensory receptors to the central nervous system (CNS).

What is the significance of the figure depicting neuron structure?

It illustrates the organization and connection of neurons involved in sensory processing.

The term 'sensory processing' refers to __.

How the sensory system interprets input from sensory receptors.

What are the effects of continuous stimulation on sensory receptors?

They exhibit decreased responsiveness, known as sensory adaptation.

A sensory neuron that generates action potentials is called __.

A sensory receptor.

What type of information is processed in higher association centers?

Information from different sensory modalities combined for a comprehensive perception.

What aids in the amplification of sensory signals?

Activation of a cascade in response to a stimulus.

What encodes the location of activated receptors?

Spatial encoding within the nervous system.

Characteristics of chemoreception include perceptions of __.

Taste and smell.