Chapter 09 Senses Lecture Outline

These flashcards cover essential key concepts and details related to the senses as presented in the lecture notes, including types of senses, receptors, equilibrium, taste and smell pathways, as well as brain functions.

What are the two basic groups that categorize senses?

General senses and special senses.

What are the somatic general senses?

Touch, pressure, proprioception, temperature, and pain.

What type of receptors respond to light?

Photoreceptors respond to light.

What do nociceptors respond to?

Nociceptors respond to painful mechanical, chemical, and thermal stimuli.

Where are mechanoreceptors located and what do they detect?

Mechanoreceptors are located in the skin and detect pressures, touch, and stretching.

What is the function of thermoreceptors?

Thermoreceptors respond to temperature changes.

What distinguishes the two types of equilibrium?

Static equilibrium involves head movement; dynamic equilibrium involves linear and rotational movements.

What are the five confirmed basic tastes?

Sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami.

What triggers the action potentials from taste receptors?

Substances must be dissolved in liquid to activate taste receptors.

Where are olfactory receptors primarily located?

Olfactory receptors are located in the upper portion of the nasal cavity.

What is the role of the thalamus in sensory processing?

The thalamus receives all incoming sensory action potentials except for smell and relays them to the cerebral cortex.

What adult brain structure is responsible for regulating pituitary gland activity?

The hypothalamus.

What structures of the ear are responsible for hearing?

The external ear, middle ear, and internal ear.

What is the primary function of the cerebrum?

Performing higher brain functions such as sensations, voluntary actions, reasoning, and planning.

What types of neuroglial cells provide support in the central nervous system?

Astrocytes, microglial cells, ependymal cells, and oligodendrocytes.

What condition results from the degeneration of myelin sheath around CNS axons?

Multiple sclerosis.

What neurotransmitter is both excitatory and inhibitory depending on the receptor?

Acetylcholine (ACh).