Texture and Sensory Reception in the Nervous System(lecture)

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards based on the lecture about texture and sensory systems, covering key terms, their definitions, and relationships within the nervous system.

Merkels

Touch receptors in the epithelium that provide fine touch sensation.

Casinia

Receptors in the skin that detect pressure.

Discriminative Touch

The ability to perceive and differentiate fine touch information.

Free Nerve Endings

Nerve fibers that respond to pain and temperature.

Afferent Information

Sensory input that travels towards the brain.

Soma

The cell body of a neuron.

Dorsal Root Ganglion

The collection of nerve cell bodies located in the dorsal root of a spinal nerve.

Unipolar Neuron

A type of neuron with one process extending from the cell body.

Dorsal Horn

The posterior part of the spinal cord that processes sensory information.

Parietal Lobe

The region of the brain that processes sensory information and the sense of touch.

Central Sulcus

The fold in the brain that separates the frontal lobe from the parietal lobe.

Primary Somatosensory Cortex

The area of the brain responsible for processing sensory data.

Limbic System

The part of the brain that deals with emotions and long-term memory.

Efferent Information

Motor output that travels away from the brain.

Action Potentials

The electrical signals that neurons use to transmit information.

Anterior Horn

The front portion of the spinal cord that contains motor neuron cell bodies.

Synapse

The junction between two neurons where communication occurs.

Neurotransmitter

Chemical messengers that transmit signals across a synapse.

Epinerium

The outer layer of connective tissue surrounding a nerve.

Perineurium

The layer of connective tissue surrounding a fascicle of axons.

Endoneurium

The delicate connective tissue surrounding individual axons.

Brachial Plexus

Network of nerves that supplies the arm and hand.

Phrenic Nerve

Nerve that controls the diaphragm for breathing.

Lumbar Plexus

Network of nerves that supplies the lower back and legs.

Femoral Nerve

Nerve that controls the front of the thigh.

Sciatic Nerve

The largest nerve in the body, serving the lower body.

Astigmatism

An optical defect caused by an irregularly shaped cornea.

Nearsightedness

Condition where distant objects appear blurry.

Farsightedness

Condition where close objects appear blurry.

Macula

A flat yellow spot on the retina responsible for sharp vision.

Fovea Centralis

The area in the retina for the best color vision.

Blind Spot

An area in the visual field where there are no photoreceptors.

Gustatory Hair Cells

The receptor cells responsible for taste sensation.

Olfactory Epithelium

The tissue involved in the sense of smell.

Cribriform Plate

Part of the ethmoid bone with holes for olfactory nerve fibers.

Cochlea

The spiral-shaped organ of hearing containing the organ of Corti.

Organ of Corti

The sensory structure in the cochlea where sound vibrations are converted into nerve impulses.

Tectorial Membrane

The membrane that sits above the hair cells in the cochlea.

Vestibular System

The sensory system that contributes to balance and spatial orientation.

Eustachian Tube

The tube that connects the middle ear to the nasopharynx.

Vitreous Humor

The clear gel that fills the space between the lens and the retina in the eyeball.

Anterior Chamber

The front part of the eye filled with aqueous humor.

Sclera

The tough outer layer of the eyeball.

Cornea

The transparent front part of the eye that covers the iris and pupil.

Iris

The colored part of the eye that controls the size of the pupil.

Pupil

The opening in the iris that allows light to enter the eye.

Retina

The light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of the eye.

Melanin

The pigment found in the iris that determines eye color.

Optic Nerve

The nerve that transmits visual information from the retina to the brain.

Gustation

The sense of taste.

Olfaction

The sense of smell.

Mechanoreceptors

Sensory receptors that respond to mechanical pressure or distortion.

Nociceptors

Pain receptors that respond to potentially damaging stimuli.

Thermoreceptors

Receptors that respond to changes in temperature.

Photoreceptors

The cells in the retina that detect light.

Pacinian Corpuscles

Receptors in the skin that detect pressure and vibration.

Rods

Photoreceptors in the retina responsible for vision in low light.

Cones

Photoreceptors responsible for color vision.

Accomodation

The process by which the eye adjusts the lens to focus on objects at various distances.

Chemoreceptors

Receptors that respond to chemical stimuli.

Somatosensory System

The system responsible for processing sensory input from the body.

Proprioceptors

Receptors that sense body position and movement.

Ciliary Body

Muscle that controls the shape of the lens in the eye.

Suspensory Ligaments

Fibers that hold the lens in place and connect it to the ciliary body.

Aqueous Humor

The clear fluid in the anterior chamber of the eye.

Optic Disc

The point on the retina where the optic nerve enters the eye.

Stereocilia

The microvilli on hair cells in the cochlea that detect sound.

Tympanic Membrane

The eardrum, which vibrates in response to sound.

Fascicle

A bundle of axons in a nerve.

Malleus

The first of the three ossicles in the middle ear.

Incus

The second ossicle that connects the malleus with the stapes.

Stapes

The third ossicle in the middle ear that connects to the oval window.

Oval Window

The membrane-covered opening that leads from the middle ear to the inner ear.

Phrenic Nerve

The nerve that controls the diaphragm and is essential for breathing.

Cranial Nerve II

The optic nerve responsible for vision.

Cranial Nerve VIII

The vestibulocochlear nerve that transmits sound and equilibrium information.

Temporal Lobe

Part of the brain that processes auditory information and is involved in memory.

Efferent Neuron

A neuron that carries signals away from the central nervous system.

Afferent Neuron

A neuron that carries sensory signals toward the central nervous system.

Acoustic Reflex

An involuntary muscle contraction in response to high-intensity sound.

Neuropathy

A general term for disease or dysfunction of one or more peripheral nerves.

Cranial Nerve III

The oculomotor nerve that controls most of the eye's movements.

Cranial Nerve IV

The trochlear nerve that innervates the superior oblique muscle of the eye.

Cranial Nerve VI

The abducens nerve that controls lateral eye movement.

Ocular Convergence

The inward movement of both eyes toward each other to maintain single binocular vision.

Bipolar Neuron

A neuron with two extensions, typically found in sensory systems like smell and sight.

Fasciculus Cuneatus

A bundle of sensory nerve fibers in the spinal cord responsible for proprioception and fine touch.

Fasciculus Gracilis

A bundle of sensory nerve fibers that carries information about touch and proprioception from the lower body.

Dermatomes

Areas of skin that are mainly supplied by a single spinal nerve root.

Spinal Cord Sections

Divided into cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral, and coccygeal segments.

Hearing Loss Types

Include conductive, sensorineural, and mixed hearing loss types.

Epithelial Tissue

The tissue that forms the outer layer of the skin and lines cavities.

Neuron Structure

Composed of dendrites, a cell body (soma), and an axon.

Somatic Nervous System

Controls voluntary movements of skeletal muscles.

Autonomic Nervous System

Regulates involuntary bodily functions.