Sensory Processing

What is transduction?

conversion of a physical property (ex light, pressure) into an electrical property

What is synaptic transmission?

chemical signal converted into electrical signal

Physical _______ ———> channels open ———→ change in _______ ________

stimulus; membrane potential

What are the two classes of sensory transduction receptors?

mechanoreceptors and chemoreceptors

What are mechanoreceptors?

analogous to ligand-gated ion channels

What are chemoreceptors?

analogous to GPCRs

Mechanoreceptors are directly gated by ______ which opens the ion channel.

force

What is an example of a mechanoreceptor?

pressure receptors in the skin

In _________, stimuli (chemicals) interact with GPCRs, indirect gating via second messengers.

chemoreceptors

What is an example of a chemoreceptor?

rhodopsin in photoreceptors

_______ uses a combination of directly gated channels and GPCRs/

Taste

The type of receptor is not just given by which proteins are expressed, but also by ______ the neuron is located.

where

Our sensory systems have limited what?

dynamic range

Label the top and bottom arrows.

top - saturation

bottom - subthreshold

What is an example of vision external stimuli changing amplitude?

night vs day

What are the three strategies when external stimuli change in amplitude?

adaptation

distinct receptors

change to sensory apparatus

What is population coding?

thousands of neurons in the brain with different dynamic niches are used to achieve extreme precision

What is the adaptation strategy?

shift the input/output relationship to where the most information lies

What is the distinct receptor strategy?

using different receptors for different functions (ex rods and cones)

What is the change in sensory apparatus strategy?

keeps the stimulus within the dynamic range of the neurons (ex pupil sizes)

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