Sensation
the conscious of unconscious awareness of external or internal stimuli
Perception
conscious awareness AND interpretation of (a) sensation(s).
Sensory Receptors
specialized structures at the end of peripheral nerves that respond to location stimulus type and structure
Mechanoreceptors
respond to changes in pressure (touch, vibrations, etc.)
Thermoreceptors
respond to changes in temperature
Photoreceptors
respond to light
Chemoreceptors
respond to changes in chemical concentration
Nociceptors
respond to extreme (harmful) stimuli by producing the sensation of pain
Sensory Adaptation
process in which sensory receptor is less stimulated due to continuous stimuli (getting used to a sensation)
What kind of sensory receptors do no undergo sensory adaptation?
Nociceptors
What do receptors associated with skin, muscles, joints, and viscera provide?
Somatic Senses
Exteroceptors
respond to direct changes in body’s surface (touch, pressure, temperature)
Proprioceptors
detect changes in muscles, tendons, and body position
Visceroceptors
detect changes in viscera
free nerve endings, Meissner’s corpuscles, Pacinian corpuscles
name the three types of touch and pressure receptors
Location of free nerve endings
epithelium, connective tissue
Meissner’s Corpuscle
encapsulated dendrite endings that detect light touch
Pacinian Corpuscle
encapsulated dendrite endings that detect heavy pressure
Meissner’s Corpuscles
abundant in hairless portions of skin
Pacinian Corpuscles
abundant deep in subcutaneous tissues of hands, feet, penis, clitoris, urethra, and breasts
75 degrees Fahrenheit (25C)
minimum temperature that heat receptors respond at
113 degrees Fahrenheit (45C)
maximum temperature that heat receptors respond at
Nociceptors
What responds to temperatures that are too extreme for heat or cold receptors to respond to?
50 degrees Fahrenheit (10C)
Minimum temperature that cold receptors respond at
68 degrees Fahrenheit (20C)
Maximum temperature that cold receptors respond at
Free Nerve Endings
receptors that detect pain; widely distributed but not in brain
Nocireceptors
Protect against tissue damage
Visceral Receptors
only produced by visceral receptors
stretch receptors
Stimulated by pressure and/or a decrease O2 levels
referred pain
pain may feel as if it is coming from another area of the body
General Senses Distribution
Distribute over entire body
organ of Corti
Organ of hearing
cochlea of inner ear
location of organ of corti
mechanoreceptors
sensory receptors for hearing
Auricle
outer ear (cartilage)
collection of sound waves
Function of Auricle
External Auditory Meatus
ear canal
starts vibrations of sound waves and directs them toward tympanic membrane
Function of External Auditory Meatus
tympanic membrane
ear drum
tympanic cavity
air-filled space behind ear drum
Auditory Ossicles
3 tiny bones in ear
Malleus (hammer)
Bone that is connected to tympanic membrane