Term
|
Definition
| When the cortex decides the stimuli is important enough to reach consciousness |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Individual interpretation of a sensation |
|
|
Term
| Are we aware of each stimuli? |
|
Definition
| No, the nervous system tends to filter out information that is not relevant at given time. |
|
|
Term
| What are the two classes of neuronal receptors? |
|
Definition
| Nerve endings and receptor cells |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A class of neuronal receptor, these can be actual bare terminals of nerve fibers, or specialized endings |
|
|
Term
| Define receptor cell and give an example |
|
Definition
A class of neuronal receptor, specialized cells that sense the environment, and then secrete neurotransmitters to excite nerve endings that are closely associated with the receptor cell
Ex. photoreceptor cells in the retina |
|
|
Term
| Can a receptor respond more than one sensor? |
|
Definition
| A receptor responds best to only one sensory modality (e.g., hair movement, vibration, light, pain) |
|
|
Term
| What is the difference between a generator potential and a receptor potential? |
|
Definition
Generator potential: Potential caused by a stimulus to a nerve ending
Receptor potential: Potential caused by a stimulus to a receptor cell |
|
|
Term
| What kind of potentials transduce stimulus from a neural receptor to the secondary neuron? |
|
Definition
| Grade potentials analogus to an EPSP |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A single afferent neuron with all of its branches |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A peripheral afferent neuron is commonly termed a primary afferent because it is the first neuron in the sensory pathway |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
The regions of the body that the afferents respond to. These can vary in size. Small receptive field gives better localization than large
receptive field. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Central branches of individual primary afferents diverge to many secondary neurons |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
Branches of several primary
afferents can converge onto a
single secondary neuron |
|
|
Term
| What is the difference between a specific and non-specific ascending pathway? |
|
Definition
A specific pathway transmits a given sensory modality to cerebral cortex, such as touch, pain, sight
A non-specific pathway transmits non-specific information, in effect saying that something happened but you don’t know what |
|
|
Term
| What are the three neurons in a typical specific ascending pathway? |
|
Definition
1. Primary afferent
2. Secondary neuron in spinal
cord or brainstem which
projects to thalamus
3. Tertiary neuron in thalamus
which projects to cortex |
|
|
Term
| Is a non-specific ascending pathway three neurons like a specific pathway? |
|
Definition
| No, it can have many synapses |
|
|
Term
| What area does a non-specific ascending pathway relay information to and what is the result? |
|
Definition
The reticular formation, which is an area that integrates input from a wide variety of sensory modalities; individual neurons can respond to multiple sensory modalities.
These pathways lead to alerting responses, arousal, and can lead to the affective (or subjective) component of a stimulus (it hurts real bad, or it feels real good). |
|
|
Term
Where is the somatosensory cortex?
(Picture on back) |
|
Definition
Postcentral gyrus, anterior end of parietal lobe
[image] |
|
|
Term
Where is the visual cortex?
(Picture on back) |
|
Definition
Posterior part of occipital lobe
[image] |
|
|
Term
Where is the auditory complex?
(Picture on back) |
|
Definition
Superior part of temporal lobe
[image] |
|
|
Term
What signals the stimulus type?
What signals the stimulus intensity? |
|
Definition
Type of receptor excited;
Frequency of action potentials and recruitment of new afferents |
|
|
Term
| Define two-point discrimination |
|
Definition
| A test using two compass points to detect two closely placed stimuli in order to determine the size of the receptive field |
|
|
Term
| What does the location of a stimuli within a receptive field indicate? |
|
Definition
| Center of receptive field will generate more action potentials because of denser innervation, but this still can’t distinguish between low intensity stimulus at center versus high intensity at edge. |
|
|
Term
| Define lateral inhibition. Where does it happen? |
|
Definition
| Through inhibitory interneurons, input from the periphery of a stimulus is inhibited, thereby focusing input to the brain on the center of the stimulus. Lateral inhibition occurs at several levels of the brain and spinal cord. |
|
|
Term
| What are the two classes of adaptation patterns? |
|
Definition
| Slowly adapting and rapidly adapting |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Inability to recognize a stimuli |
|
|
Term
| What do slowly adapting receptors respond to? |
|
Definition
| Amount of indentation, not speed |
|
|
Term
| What do speed receptors respond to? |
|
Definition
| Speed of stimulus, not intensity |
|
|
Term
| What do vibration detectors respond to? |
|
Definition
| The change in speed of the stimulus (acceleration) |
|
|
