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Neuro1: Sensory Receptors
Neuro1: Sensory Receptors
42
Medical
Graduate
05/03/2012

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Term
Somatic afferent fibers (two types)
Definition
Exteroreceptive (skin and specialized sense organs - eyes ears) Proprioceptive (muscles joints tendons, etc - positioning organs)
Term
Adequate Stimulus
Definition
Unique stimulis that activates a sensory receptor at low energy level.
Term
Receptor Specificity
Definition
Tuning of receptor to a specific stimulus energy (photoreceptors to a certain range of wavelengths).
Term
Line of communication
Definition
Sensory receptors optimally selective for a single type of stimulis energy. A particular type of sensation will be perceived (even getting punched in the eye produces light).
Term
Labeled Line Code
Definition
Receptor Speceficity and line of communication underlie. Sensory information travels along a prescribed path to the CNS where information is interpretaed.
Term
What are the biological transducers?
Definition
Sensory receptors
Term
Process of converting stimulis energy into electrical energy
Definition
Signal Transduction
Term
Activation of a receptor generates what type of potential?
Definition
Receptor potentials. Na+ and Ca+. These are electrotonic and are PASSIVELY propagated. If stimulis is large enough, an AP will be triggered.
Term
Action potentials differ from an electrotonic potential that decays with distance in the axon by:
Definition
1. Activated in all or none fashion
2. actively propagated along axons
3. have uniform amplitude
Term
Intensity of a stimulis in the dorsal horn is encoded by?
Definition
The frequency of the firing of APs. (APs are all the same height, so intensity of a stimulis is based on the frequency of dorsal horn sensing of APs). So receptor potential increases to make an AP (so frequency and amp matter), but only freq matters for AP sensory in the dorsal horn.
Term
Frequency Code
Definition
Relationship of stimulis intensity and AP frequency.
Term
How is Stimulis Threshold different from Adequate Stimulis?
Definition
Stimulis threshold is a measure of the sensitivity of an individual receptor - some may need a higher stimulis energy. Adequate stimulis is just the stimulis with the lowest energy.
Term
Population Code
Definition
Recruitment of additional high-threshold receptors with increased stimulis intensity. e.g. large stimulation activating sensory receptors on adjacent neurons.
Term
Receptive Field
Definition
Area in peripheral space where a stimulis activates a sensory receptor.
Term
T/F Sensory receptors can only respond to an adequate stimulis presented within its receptive field
Definition
True
Term
T/F Receptors with large receptive field maps reduce resolution of the somatotopic map
Definition
T
Term
Areas of high tactile discrimination have:
Definition
high densities of receptors with small receptive fields.
Term
Adaptation Rule
Definition
Sensitivity of a receptor and action potential firing rate decreases despite continued stimulation.
Term
Exception to adaptation rule
Definition
those receptors that respond to noxious (painful) stimuli. Nociceptors do not adapt and when there is inflammation may become more sensitive.
Term
Tonic Receptors

What do they let you know?
Definition
Slowly adapt or remain active during an applied stimulis. - DURATION
Term
Phasic Receptors

What do they let you know?
Definition
Only change during application/cessation of a stimulis. Good at signaling the beginning and end of a stimulis, but not duration.

Some pick up on rate at which a stimulis is applied (measure acceleration of a stimulis).
Term
What are the sensory systems?
Definition
Somatosensory, Visual, Auditory, Vestibular, Olfactory, Gustatory, and Nociception.
Term
Modality of a sensation is determined by
Definition
The type of receptors that are activated.
Term
What are the four modalities of somatic sensation?
Definition
Touch (size, shape, texture), Proprioception (static and movement of limbs/body), Nociception, Thermal
Term
Somatosensory system receives sensory input from:
Definition
epidermis, muscles, joinsts, internal organs, and the CV system.
Term
Encapsulated Receptors
Definition
Epidermal sensory receptors which are surrounded by layers of tissue that act as filters to modify the mechanical stimuli. e.g. rapid adaptation of somatosensory receptors.
Term
Non-encapsulated receptors
Definition
Free nerve endings (nociceptors) or nerve endings associated with or surrounded by accessory sensory structures (Merkel endings, hair receptors).
Term
Exteroreceptors
Definition
Free nerve endings, hair receptors, merkel disc receptors, meissner corpuscle, pacinian corpuscle, ruffini endings
Term
Free nerve endings (location, sensitive to?)
Definition
Located in the epidermal layer and respond to tissue-damaging mechanical and thermal stimulation.
Term
Hair Receptors
Definition
Movement of hair - generally rapidly addapting and respond to movement but not steady pressure.
Term
Merkel Disk Receptors
Definition
Located in the basal layer of the epidermis. Disc is formed by two structures - the Merkel cell and its associated sensory nerve ending. Single sensory fiber supplies several Merkel cells. These SLOWLY adapting mechanoreceptors - mainly TACTILE.
Term
Meissner Corpuscle
Definition
ENCAPSULATED nerve ending located in dermal layer of the glabrous (hairless) skin. RAPIDLY adapting mechanoreceptors. Abundant in fingertips for FINE TACTILE sensation.
Term
Pacinian Corpuscle
Definition
RAPIDLY-ADAPTING ENCAPSULATED MECHANORECEPTOR located in the subcutaneous layer of skin. Responds to changes in stimulis. Poor sensors of maintained pressure but are the FASTEST RAPIDLY ADAPTING FIBERS and are good at detecting things like vibration.
Term
Ruffini Endings
Definition
Slowly-Adapting mechanoreceptor located in the dermis and subcutaneous layers. The nerve ending is encapsulated within layers of collagen.
Term
What are the more superficial mechanoreceptors?
Definition
Merkel (slow tactile) -basal epidermis
and Meissner (rapid fine tactile) - dermal layer
Term
What are the deeper mechanoreceptors?
Definition
Pacinian corpuscle (rapid pressure/vibration) - subcataneous
and Ruffiniendings (slow pressure - maintained pressure) - dermis and subcutaneous
Term
Sensory Receptors Involved in Proprioception
Definition
Vestivular Receptors (ear orientation), Muscle Spindle (skeletal muscle with annulospiral endings Ia intrafusal and stretch receptor 1a extrafusal - position speed direction). Golgi Tendon Organ (located in the tendon near insertion of muscle), Joint Receptors (Ruffini and Pacinian), Stretch Receptors of Skin (Signal postural info Ruffini Merkel, hair receptors)
.
Term
Nociceptors
Definition
Free nerve endings widely dispersed in epidermal layers of skin and viscera. Noxious/tissue damaging mechanical, thermal, and chemical.
Term
What are the most rapidly conducting nocicepter afferents?
Thermal temp range?
Definition
Adelta. Mediate sharp initial pain. Umyelinated C fibers may respond to mechanical, thermal, chemical, etc. Dull sensation. In general all are slowly adapting to maintain response to stimulis.

<10 and >45 centigrade
Term
Polymodal nociceptors
Definition
Respond to multiple types of noxious stimuli - pinch, puncture, heat, cold, and irritating chemicals. Largest class.
Term
Hyperalgesia
Definition
Chemicals released from damage tissue increase the sensitivity of the nociceptors to noxious stimuli (aspirin reduces prostaglandin by inhibiting cyclooxygenase).

Neurons respond to tissue distribution of: histamine, serotonin, acetylcholine, prostaglandin, potassium ions, and ATP.
Term
Substance P and Calcitonin Gene Related Peptide CGRP
Definition
Act on blood vessels to increase local blood flow and on Mast cells to promote the release of histamine both of which promote inflammation. NEUROGENIC INFLAMMATION.
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