flashcards

Flashcard #1* \n**Term:** Somatosensory Transduction \n**Definition:** The process by which mechanical stimuli are converted into electrical signals via ion channels opening in sensory receptors.

**Flashcard #2** \n**Term:** Ion Channels \n**Definition:** Proteins embedded in the cell membrane that open in response to mechanical pressure, allowing positively charged ions like sodium to enter the cell.

**Flashcard #3** \n**Term:** Receptive Fields \n**Definition:** Areas of sensory receptors that respond to stimulation, characterized by center-surround fields that enhance sensory detail.

**Flashcard #4** \n**Term:** Phasic Response \n**Definition:** A short burst of neural firing followed by silence in response to stimulation.

**Flashcard #5** \n**Term:** Tonic Response \n**Definition:** Sustained neural firing as long as the stimulus is present.

**Flashcard #6** \n**Term:** Homunculus \n**Definition:** A map in the primary somatosensory cortex that represents the body based on sensory importance.

**Flashcard #7** \n**Term:** Pain Fibers \n**Definition:** Types of nerve fibers that transmit pain signals, including free nerve endings, A-delta fibers, and C fibers.

**Flashcard #8** \n**Term:** Free Nerve Endings \n**Definition:** Nerve endings that detect pain, temperature, and chemical irritation.

**Flashcard #9** \n**Term:** A-Delta Fibers \n**Definition:** Myelinated fibers that conduct sharp, immediate pain.

**Flashcard #10** \n**Term:** C Fibers \n**Definition:** Unmyelinated fibers that conduct dull, lingering pain.

**Flashcard #11** \n**Term:** Capsaicin Sensitivity \n**Definition:** The response of C fibers to capsaicin, explaining the sensation of burning from spicy food.

**Flashcard #12** \n**Term:** Dorsal Column \n**Definition:** The touch pathway that carries signals related to touch and proprioception.

**Flashcard #13** \n**Term:** Lateral Pathway \n**Definition:** The pain pathway that carries signals related to pain and temperature sensations.

**Flashcard #14** \n**Term:** Gate Control Theory \n**Definition:** The theory that non-painful stimuli can reduce pain by 'closing the gate' to pain signals.

**Flashcard #15** \n**Term:** TENS Stimulation \n**Definition:** Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation, a method that activates non-pain touch fibers to reduce pain.

**Flashcard #16** \n**Term:** Opioids \n**Definition:** Substances that block pain by mimicking endorphins in the brain.

**Flashcard #17** \n**Term:** Primary Somatosensory Cortex (S1) \n**Definition:** Located in the postcentral gyrus of the parietal lobe, this area processes contralateral sensory input.

**Flashcard #18** \n**Term:** Neuromuscular Junction \n**Definition:** The site where motor neurons release neurotransmitters to stimulate muscle contractions.

**Flashcard #19** \n**Term:** Pyramidal Pathway \n**Definition:** The motor pathway that originates in the primary motor cortex and controls voluntary movements.

**Flashcard #20** \n**Term:** Extrapyramidal Pathway \n**Definition:** The motor pathway that originates in the basal ganglia and regulates posture and involuntary movement.

**Flashcard #21** \n**Term:** Proprioception \n**Definition:** The body's ability to sense its position, movement, and orientation in space.

**Flashcard #22** \n**Term:** Motor Unit \n**Definition:** A motor neuron and all the muscle fibers it controls.

**Flashcard #23** \n**Term:** Mirror Neurons \n**Definition:** Neurons that fire both when performing an action and observing others perform the same action.

**Flashcard #24** \n**Term:** Movement Disorders \n**Definition:** Pathological conditions affecting the ability to move, including paralysis and involuntary movements.

**Flashcard #25** \n**Term:** Huntington’s Disease \n**Definition:** A progressive neurological disorder caused by basal ganglia degeneration resulting in involuntary jerky movements.

**Flashcard #26** \n**Term:** Parkinson’s Disease \n**Definition:** A disorder caused by dopamine loss in the basal ganglia, characterized by tremors, rigidity, and bradykinesia.

**Flashcard #27** \n**Term:** Hair Cells \n**Definition:** Sensory cells located in the cochlea that convert sound waves into electrical signals.

**Flashcard #28** \n**Term:** Cochlear Implants \n**Definition:** Devices that bypass damaged hair cells by directly stimulating the auditory nerve.

**Flashcard #29** \n**Term:** Presbycusis \n**Definition:** Age-related hearing loss, typically affecting the ability to hear higher frequencies.

**Flashcard #30** \n**Term:** Vestibular System \n**Definition:** System that detects balance and head position, including the otolith organs and semicircular canals.

**Flashcard #31** \n**Term:** Taste Transduction \n**Definition:** Process by which taste stimuli are converted into neural signals, involving ion channels and G-protein-coupled receptors.

**Flashcard #32** \n**Term:** Glomeruli \n**Definition:** Clusters of neurons in the olfactory bulb that receive signals from olfactory receptors.

**Flashcard #33** \n**Term:** Visual Anatomy \n**Definition:** Anatomical structures involved in vision, including the fovea and types of photoreceptors.

**Flashcard #34** \n**Term:** Visual Processing \n**Definition:** The process of interpreting visual information, involving receptive fields and visual pathways.

**Flashcard #35** \n**Term:** Dorsal Stream \n**Definition:** The pathway in visual processing that analyzes motion and spatial location.

**Flashcard #36** \n**Term:** Ventral Stream \n**Definition:** The pathway responsible for object identification in visual processing.

**Flashcard #37** \n**Term:** Color Blindness \n**Definition:** A condition resulting from missing or defective cones, affecting color perception.

**Flashcard #38** \n**Term:** Agnosia \n**Definition:** The inability to recognize objects despite having intact vision.

**Flashcard #39** \n**Term:** Lateral Inhibition \n**Definition:** A process that sharpens visual contrast by inhibiting neighboring cells.

**Flashcard #40** \n**Term:** Opponent Process Theory \n**Definition:** A theory explaining color perception in terms of paired opposites.

**Flashcard #41** \n**Term:** Trichromatic Theory \n**Definition:** A theory suggesting that three types of cones in the eye detect blue, green, and red wavelengths.