The Cutaneous Senses and Somatosensory System

These flashcards cover key vocabulary related to the cutaneous senses and the somatosensory system, focusing on touch receptors, mechanisms of pain, and perception processes.

Cutaneous Senses

Sensory systems related to the skin that detect touch, pressure, and temperature.

Proprioception

The sense of body position and movement.

Kinesthesis

The awareness of the body's position and movement through muscles and joints.

Mechanoreceptors

Receptors that respond to mechanical pressure or distortion.

Epidermis

The outermost layer of skin.

Dermis

The layer of skin beneath the epidermis containing mechanoreceptors.

Merkel receptors

Mechanoreceptors responsible for detecting continuous pressure and fine details.

Meissner corpuscle

Mechanoreceptors that respond to 'on' and 'off' sensations.

Ruffini cylinder

Mechanoreceptors that respond to continuous pressure and stretching.

Pacinian corpuscle

Mechanoreceptors responsible for sensing vibration.

Medial Lemniscal Pathway

Pathway carrying proprioceptive and touch information to the cortex.

Spinothalamic Pathway

Pathway carrying temperature and pain information to the brain.

Somatosensory Cortex

Part of the brain responsible for processing touch-related information.

Tactile Acuity

The sensitivity of the skin to detect fine details.

Two-point threshold

The minimum distance at which two stimuli can be perceived as separate.

Duplex Theory of Texture Perception

The idea that texture perception relies on both spatial and temporal cues.

Spatial cues

Determined by the size, shape, and distribution of surface elements.

Temporal cues

Determined by the rate of vibration when skin is moved across surfaces.

Haptic perception

The active exploration of 3D objects through touch.

Exploratory Procedures

Methods of touch exploration including lateral motion, pressure, and contour following.

Nociceptive Pain

Pain from physical damage to tissues.

Inflammatory Pain

Pain resulting from inflammation.

Neuropathic Pain

Pain caused by nerve damage.

Direct Pathway Model of Pain

Model suggesting nociceptors send pain signals directly to the brain.

Gate Control Model of Pain

Model proposing that pain signals can be regulated by the spinal cord.

Central control

Mechanisms in the brain that influence pain perception.

Endorphins

Natural pain-killing neurotransmitters produced by the brain.

Opioids

Chemicals used in pain management that mimic endorphins.

Somatosensory area

Region of the brain that processes sensory information from the skin.

S2 cortex

Area of the brain involved in the processing of touch and pain.

Intra-abdominal sensation

Sense related to feelings inside the abdomen.

Fine texture perception

Ability to distinguish surface nuances through touch.

Activity in S1 cortex

Activation of the primary somatosensory cortex during tactile experiences.

Expectation in pain perception

Anticipation affecting how pain is experienced.