PY 359 Module 8

This set of flashcards covers key concepts related to the body senses, specifically focusing on somatosensation, mechanoreceptors, and their properties.

Tactile Perception

The perception of touch and texture based on skin deformation.

Proprioception

The sense that detects the positioning and movement of limbs.

Nociception

The sensory perception of pain.

Thermoreception

The sensory perception of temperature.

Haptics

The perception of object shape through touch.

Vestibular Senses

The senses responsible for balance and acceleration.

Mechanoreception

A process by which sensory neurons respond to mechanical energy.

Mechanoreceptor

A sensory neuron that responds to mechanical energy.

Mechanical Energy

For somatosensation, it refers to pressure, vibration, or movement.

Skin Deformation

The change in the shape of the skin that leads to tactile perception.

Epidermis

The outer layer of the skin, primarily made of dead skin cells.

Dermis

The vascular layer of skin that contains connective tissue and most sensory receptors.

Glabrous Skin

Hairless skin, such as the lips, palms, and soles of the feet.

Hairy Skin

Skin that has hair, covering most surfaces of the body.

Somatosensation

The sensory system that processes information from the skin and proprioceptors.

First-order sensory neuron

The neuron that receives sensory input and transmits it to the CNS.

Encapsulated Nerve Endings

Specialized endings of sensory neurons that respond to mechanical stimuli.

Slow-Adapting Mechanoreceptors

Receptors that respond continuously to a stimulus for its duration.

Meissner's corpuscles and Merkel cells

Examples of Type 1 cells

Meissner Corpuscles

Type I fast-adapting mechanoreceptor found in glabrous skin, sensitive to light touch.

Merkel Cells

Type I slow-adapting mechanoreceptors responsible for high spatial resolution and sustained response.

Fast-Adapting Mechanoreceptors

Receptors that respond quickly to changes in stimulus but not to sustained pressure.

Ruffini endings and Pacinian corpuscles

Examples of type 2 cells

Ruffini Endings

Type II slow-adapting mechanoreceptors that detect skin stretch.

Pacinian Corpuscles

Type II fast-adapting mechanoreceptor that responds to deep pressure and vibration.

Generator Potential

The change in membrane potential that occurs in response to a stimulus.

Two-Point Threshold

The minimum distance at which two points of stimulus can be detected separately.

Spatial Resolution

The ability of the sensory system to distinguish between two separate stimuli.

C-Tactile Mechanoreceptors

Free nerve endings sensitive to pleasant slow and gentle touch.

Muscle Spindles

Proprioceptors located in skeletal muscles that respond to muscle stretch.

Golgi Tendon Organs

Proprioceptors located in tendons that detect muscle tension.

Joint Receptors

Receptors that detect the angle of joints near the limit of normal motion.

Afferent Nerve Fiber

The nerve fibers that carry sensory information to the central nervous system.

Dendrite

The part of a neuron that receives information from other neurons.

Axon

The part of a neuron that transmits electrical impulses away from the cell body.

Cell Body

The part of a neuron that contains the nucleus and organelles.

Psycho-physiological

Referring to processes involving both psychological and physiological aspects.

Somatosensory System

The sensory system responsible for processing tactile stimuli.

CNS (Central Nervous System)

The part of the nervous system that includes the brain and spinal cord.

Pain Receptors (Nociceptors)

Receptors that respond to painful stimuli.

Temperature Receptors (Thermoreceptors)

Receptors that detect temperature changes.

Fine Manual Control

The ability to manipulate objects with precision using hand movements.

Sustained Response

Continuous firing of a neuron in response to a prolonged stimulus.

Transient Response

Firing of a neuron only during changes in stimulus.

Threshold

The point at which a stimulus produces a detectable response.

Somatosensory Pathways

The neural pathways that transmit somatosensory information to the CNS.

Discrimination

The ability to perceive differences between stimuli.

Response Properties

The characteristics of receptors that determine their sensitivity to stimuli.

Common Senses

Basic sensory modalities including touch, taste, sight, and sound.

Neurological Studies

Scientific investigations focused on the nervous system and its functions.

Sensory Deprivation

A state in which an individual is deprived of sensory input.

Tactile Sensation

The sensation of touch, including pressure, temperature, and texture.

Mechanotransduction

The process by which mechanical stimuli are converted to electrochemical signals.

Reciprocal Inhibition

A process where active muscle contraction leads to inhibition of antagonist muscles.

Qualitative Touch

Sensations related to the attributes of objects, such as texture or shape.

Quantitative Touch

Sensations related to the intensity or amount of touch, such as pressure.

Tactile Acuity

The ability to detect small details in touch.

Dynamic Touch

Sensation resulting from movement across the skin's surface.

Static Touch

Sensation resulting from pressure applied to the skin.

Plasticity in Sensory Systems

The ability of sensory systems to adapt and reorganize.