BME 5010, CHAPTER 9: THE SENSORY SYSTEMS

KEY WORDS MEANING

Sensory system Consists of (1) sensory receptors, () t!e ne"r#$ p#t!%#ys t!#t con&"ct inform#tion
from t!e receptors to t!e 'r#in #n& (() t!e p#rts of t!e 'r#in t!#t process t!is
inform#tion)
Sensory inform#tion Inform#tion sent to t!e 'r#in t!#t m#y or m#y not re#c! conscio"sness (conscio"s
#%#reness))
Sens#tion Inform#tion sent to t!e 'r#in t!#t re#c!es conscio"sness)
*erception +n&erst#n&in, t!e me#nin, of # sens#tion)
RECEPTORS
Sensory receptors Ner-e en&in,s t!#t ser-e to initi#te inform#tion from #re# #ro"n& t!e ner-es to t!e
ner-o"s system)
Stim"$"s .!e ener,y form t!#t #cts "pon #n& #cti-#tes # receptor)
.r#ns&"ction
/01
.!e process 'y %!ic! t!e receptors #t t!e en&s of #fferent ne"rons tr#ns$#te ener,y
into ,r#&e& potenti#$s t!#t c#n initi#te #ction potenti#$s)
.!e receptors c#n 'e #t t!e en&s of #fferent ne"rons or c#n 'e sep#r#te ce$$s ne#r'y
t!#t effect t!e en&s of ne"rons)
.!e ener,y inp"t c#n inc$"&e press"re, temper#t"re, $i,!t, so"n& %#-es, etc)
A&e1"#te stim"$"s .!e #mo"nt of stim"$"s ener,y re1"ire& to ,ener#te # potenti#$ in t!e receptor)
Doctrine of specific ener,ies .!e concept t!#t for e-ery type of sens#tion t!ere is # speci#$i2e& receptor type)
THE RECEPTOR
POTENTIAL
(A$so c#$$e& # ,ener#tor
potenti#$))
/0
A ,r#&e& potenti#$ in # receptor c#"se& 'y # tr#ns&"ction process %!ic! opens or
c$oses ion c!#nne$s)
.!e m#,nit"&e of t!e receptor potenti#$ is incre#se& %it! incre#sin, stim"$"s
stren,t!)
Incre#sin, receptor potenti#$ m#,nit"&e c#n incre#se #ction potenti#$ fre1"ency) .!is
&oes not incre#se #ction potenti#$ m#,nit"&e 'ec#"se t!e A* is const#nt in m#,nit"&e
(#$$0or0none))
If t!e m#,nit"&e of t!e receptor potenti#$ is s"fficient to 'rin, t!e mem'r#ne
potenti#$ to t!res!o$& #n #ction potenti#$ %i$$ res"$t)
A&#pt#tion .!e &ecre#se in fre1"ency of #ction potenti#$s &espite t!e m#inten#nce of # const#nt
stren,t! stim"$"s)


KEY WORDS MEANING
NEURAL PATHWAYS IN
SENSORY SYSTEMS

Sensory p#t!%#ys A ,ro"p of ne"ron c!#ins, e#c! c!#in m#&e "p of t!ree or more ne"rons connecte&
en& to en& 'y syn#pses) .!e c!#ins in # ,i-en p#t!%#y r"n p#r#$$e$ to e#c! ot!er in
t!e centr#$ ner-o"s system #n& c#rry inform#tion to t!#t p#rt of t!e 'r#in
responsi'$e for conscio"s reco,nition of t!e inform#tion)
A$so c#$$e& 3#scen&in, p#t!%#ys)3
Sensory "nit A sin,$e #fferent ne"ron %it! #$$ its receptor en&in,s)
Recepti-e fie$&
/04
A portion of t!e 'o&y, t!#t %!en stim"$#te&, $e#&s to #cti-ity in # p#rtic"$#r #fferent
ne"ron)
Recepti-e fie$&s o-er$#p 0 #cti-#tion of # sm#$$ #re# c#n #cti-#te se-er#$ sensory
"nits)
Con-er,ence5&i-er,ence in
#scen&in, p#t!%#ys
/06
Di-er,ence of #fferent ne"ron processes onto m#ny ne"rons in t!e CNS)
Con-er,ence of se-er#$ #fferent ne"rons on # sin,$e interne"ron)
Specific #scen&in, p#t!%#ys
/07

*#t!%#ys t!#t con-ey inform#tion #'o"t on$y # sin,$e type of sensory inform#tion
(ie) p#in p#t!%#ys))
.!e p#t!%#ys p#ss t!ro",! t!e 'r#instem, syn#pse in t!e t!#$#m"s, #n& t!en t!e
fin#$ ne"ron in t!e p#t!%#y ,oes to t!e cere'r#$ corte8)
Som#tic receptors Receptors in t!e s9in, m"sc$e, :oints, 'one #n& ten&on)
Som#tosensory corte8 0 /0;
A strip of corte8 in t!e p#riet#$ $o'e :"st 'e!in& t!e front#$ $o'e) It recei-es
inform#tion t!#t is con-eye& 'y t!e som#tic receptors)
<is"#$ corte8 0 /0;
An #re# in t!e occipit#$ $o'e t!#t recei-es t!e inp"t from t!e -is"#$ p#t!%#y)
A"&itory corte8 /0;
An #re# in t!e tempor#$ $o'e t!#t recei-es inform#tion from t!e e#r)
Nonspecific #scen&in,
p#t!%#ys /07
Acti-#te& 'y sensory "nits of se-er#$ &ifferent types) Ne"rons in t!ese p#t!%#ys
#re c#$$e& po$ymo&#$ ne"rons)


KEY WORDS MEANING
ASSOCIATION CORTEX
AND PERCEPTUAL
PROCESSING

Cortic#$ #ssoci#tion #re#s
/0=
>ie o"tsi&e t!e prim#ry sensory #re#s of t!e corte8)
Are not consi&ere& p#rt of t!e sensory p#t!%#ys)
Associ#tion #re#s p$#y # ro$e in #n#$ysis of incomin, inform#tion #n& in s"'se1"ent
'e!#-ior)
Some #ssoci#tion #re#s inte,r#te se-er#$ types of sensory inp"t (ie) position sense #n&
-is"#$ inp"t))
(Yo" sti$$ 9no% # tree is -ertic#$ %!en yo" see it, e-en if yo"r !e#& is ti$te&))
?#ctors t!#t &istort perception 1) A&#pt#tion
) Emotions, person#$ity, e8perience)


() ?i$terin, or in!i'ition of sensory inp"t so it &oes not 'ecome # conscio"s
sens#tion) If #$$ sensory inp"t re#c!e& conscio"sness t!is %o"$& 'e o-er%!e$min,)
4) We &o not !#-e receptors for cert#in ener,y forms (ie) 80r#ys, r#&io %#-es))
6) D#m#,e& ner-e p#t!%#ys #$ter sensory inp"t)
;) Dr",s #$ter perception)
*erception Re1"ires@
1) .r#ns&"ction of stim"$"s to #ction potenti#$s)
) .r#nsmission of #ction potenti#$s to t!e cere'r#$ corte8)
() Interpret#tion of t!is inp"t t!ro",! #ssoci#tion #re#s)


KEY WORDS MEANING
PRIMARY SENSORY
CODING

Mo&#$ity Anot!er term for stim"$"s type)
ie) Ae#t, co$&, press"re, so"n&, t#ste)
A ,i-en receptor type is sensiti-e to one stim"$"s mo&#$ity)
Stim"$"s intensity
/0/
Incre#se& stim"$"s intensity me#ns # $#r,er receptor potenti#$ #n& # !i,!er fre1"ency
of #ction potenti#$ firin,)
Recr"itment A type of sp#ti#$ s"mm#tion in ner-e receptors) ?or e8#mp$e, #pp$yin, press"re o-er
# $#r,er s"rf#ce #re# %i$$ #cti-#te more receptors)
Stim"$"s $oc#tion
/01B, /011




/01
.!e precision in $oc#tin, # stim"$"s &epen&s on t!e (1) #mo"nt of con-er,ence, ()
t!e si2e of t!e recepti-e fie$&, #n& (() t!e #mo"nt of o-er$#p %it! ne#r'y recepti-e
fie$&s) Sm#$$er recepti-e fie$&s, more o-er$#p #n& $ess con-er,ence res"$t in more
precision in $oc#tin, # stim"$"s (ie, fin,ertip -ers"s t!e '#c9))
Recepti-e fie$& o-er$#p pro-i&es # me#ns for $oc#tin, stim"$"s 'ec#"se #n #fferent
fi'er stim"$#te& in t!e mi&&$e of # recepti-e fie$& %i$$ fire #t # !i,!er fre1"ency t!#n
t!e fi'er stim"$#te& #t t!e e&,e of # recepti-e fie$&) .!is sim"$t#neo"s firin, #t
&ifferent fre1"encies !e$ps $oc#te # stim"$"s)
>#ter#$ in!i'ition
/01(, /014
Inform#tion for t!e e&,e of # recepti-e fie$& is in!i'ite& %!i$e inform#tion #t t!e
center is en!#nce&) .!e #scen&in, ne"rons #cti-#te in!i'itory ne"rons t!#t s"ppress
#cti-ity from #&:#cent ne"rons) .!is !e$ps $oc#te # stim"$"s)
R#pi&$y #&#ptin, receptors
/016
Or p!#sic receptors) .!eir firin, fre1"ency is r#pi&$y &ecre#se& e-en if stim"$"s
stren,t! is m#int#ine&)
S$o%$y #&#ptin, receptors
/016
M#int#in firin, fre1"ency no m#tter t!e &"r#tion of t!e stim"$"s) An e8#mp$e of t!eir
"se is in st#tic position sense)
Centr#$ contro$ of #fferent
inform#tion
/01;
Ascen&in, inform#tion is fi$tere& or in!i'ite& 'y@
1) >#ter#$ in!i'ition)
) Descen&in, in!i'itory p#t!%#ys from t!e corte8 #n& retic"$#r form#tion)


KEY WORDS MEANING
SOMATIC SENSATION








/017


/01=




/01=


/01=


/01/
Sens#tion from t!e s9in, 'o&y %#$$s, m"sc$es, 'ones, ten&ons #n& :oints) .!ese #re
initi#te& 'y # -#riety of som#tic receptors)
Mo&#$ities for t!ese inc$"&e@ 0mec!#nic#$ stim"$#tion of s9in, !#irs, tiss"e
0temper#t"re 0c!emic#$ c!#n,es
E#c! sens#tion is #ssoci#te& %it! # specific receptor type (/017))
After enterin, t!e CNS t!e prim#ry #fferents (first or&er ne"ron) syn#pse on specific
#scen&in, p#t!%#ys t!#t sen& # secon& or&er ne"ron into t!e 'r#instem #n& syn#pse
in t!e t!#$#m"s)
.!ey #$so syn#pse on interne"rons in nonspecifc p#t!%#ys)
.!e specific #scen&in, p#t!%#ys en& 'y sen&in, # t!ir& or&er ne"ronfrom t!e
t!#$#m"s into t!e precentr#$ ,yr"s of t!e som#tosensory corte8)
.!e som#tosensory corte8 for t!e ri,!t si&e of t!e 'o&y is on t!e $eft si&e of t!e 'r#in
(#n& -ice -ers#) 'ec#"se t!e #scen&in, p#t!%#y crosses o-er in t!e spin#$ cor& or
'r#instem)
.!e specific 'o&y $oc#tions in t!e precentr#$ ,yr"s is sometimes c#$$e& #
!om"nc"$"s)
.o"c!0press"re
/017

.!ere #re # -#riety of mec!#noreceptors in t!e s9in@
Receptor potenti#$s in t!ese ner-es #ppe#r to 'e ,ener#te& 'y stretc!0#cti-#te& ion
c!#nne$s)
.ype of s9in mec!#noreceptors@
R"ffini en&in,s, Mer9$eCs &iscs@ press"re intensity (s$o%$y #&#ptin,)
MeissnerCs corp"sc$es@ to"c! (mo&er#te$y r#pi&$y #&#ptin,)
*#cini#n corp"sc$es@ mo-ement, -i'r#tion (r#pi&$y #&#ptin,)
?ree ner-e en&in,s@ p#in, temper#t"re, cr"&e to"c! (s$o%$y to non0#&#ptin,)
Sense of post"re #n&
mo-ement
M"sc$e spin&$e stretc! receptors@ Respon& to m#,nit"&e #n& r#te of m"sc$e stretc!)
Mec!#noreceptors in :oints, ten&ons, $i,#ments #n& s9in #$so p$#y # ro$e in
9inest!esi#, t!e sense of :oint mo-ement)
.emper#t"re W#rmt! receptors@ respon& to temper#t"res 'et%een (B04( &e,rees Ce$si"s)
Co$& receptors@ respon& 'et%een B0(6 &e,rees Ce$si"s)
No8io"s !e#t #n& co$&@ fire p#in receptors


PAIN


A stim"$"s t!#t c#"ses or is #'o"t to c#"se tiss"e &#m#,e e$icits t!e sens#tion of p#in)
S"c! stim"$i #re c#$$e& no8io"s #n& t!e prim#ry #fferent receptors t!#t #re stim"$#te&
#re c#$$e& nociceptors)
*#in c#n 'e &efine& #s 3#n "np$e#s#nt sensory #n& emotion#$ e8perience %it! #ct"#$
or potenti#$ tiss"e &#m#,e, or &escri'e& in terms of s"c! &#m#,e)3
(A) Mers9ey, Do"rn#$ *#in, 1/=;))
Nociceptors .!e receptors %!ose stim"$#tion ,i-es rise to p#in) .!ese receptors #re fine$y
'r#nc!e& en&in,s (free ner-e en&in,s) of "nmye$in#te& or sm#$$ mye$in#te& fi'ers)
.!eir con&"ction -e$ocity is #'o"t B)6 to B m5s &epen&in, on t!e si2e of t!e #8on)
.!ese receptors !#-e !i,! mec!#nic#$ t!res!o$&s #n& respon& to intense mec!#nic#$
#n&5or t!erm#$ stim"$#tion or to irrit#nt c!emic#$s) .!ose t!#t respon& to # -#riety of
inp"ts (ie !e#t #n& mec!#nic#$) #re c#$$e& po$ymo&#$) .!e mec!#nic#$ inp"t m#y
stim"$#te stretc!0sensiti-e ion c!#nne$s)
C!emic#$s re$e#se& from &#m#,e& or inf$#me& tiss"e c#n &epo$#ri2e nociceptor ner-e
en&in,s) .!ese c!emic#$s inc$"&e AE, KE, !ist#mine, 'r#&y9inin, cyto9ines #n&
prost#,$#n&ins)
One #ction of #spirin is to '$oc9 prost#,$#n&in synt!esis)
Ayper#$,esi# .!ese c!emic#$s c#n &ecre#se t!e nociceptor t!res!o$& #n& incre#se t!eir firin, r#te
to p#inf"$ stim"$i) .!is sensiti2#tion is c#$$e& !yper#$,esi#)
S"n'"rn #n& # p#inf"$ s%o$$en #n9$e #re e8#mp$es of !yper#$,esic st#tes)
Antero$#ter#$ system
/01=# #n& '
.!ree #scen&in, p#t!%#ys in t!e CNS t!#t $e#& to t!e perception #n& $oc#$i2#tion of
p#in)
Referre& p#in .!e sens#tion of p#in e8perience& #t # site ot!er t!#n t!e in:"re& site) ie@ A !e#rt
#tt#c9 c#n res"$t in c!est ti,!tness or $eft #rm p#in) Afferents from 'ot! #re#s
con-er,e on t!e s#me interne"rons in t!e spin#$ cor&)
Stim"$#tion0pro&"ce&
#n#$,esi#
Stim"$#tion of &escen&in, in!i'itory p#t!%#ys t!#t re$e#se or #re sensiti-e to
en&o,eno"s opioi&s)
.ENS, #c"p"nct"re #n& m#nip"$#tion stim"$#te #fferent fi'ers t!#t m#y #cti-#te t!ese
in!i'itory p#t!%#ys in t!e spin#$ cor&)