Sensation: The Somatic and Special Senses

January 2012

Learning Objectives
List the types of receptors and explain the function of each Explain how receptors stimulate sensory impulses Explain how a sensation is produced Distinguish between somatic and special senses Describe the receptors for the senses of touch and pressure, temperature, and pain

Learning Objectives
Outline the anatomy (& physiology) of the tongue and the gustatory receptors Outline the anatomy (& physiology) of the nose and the olfactory receptors Outline the anatomy of the eye and and explain the function of each part Outline the anatomy of the ear and explain the function of each part

Sensory receptors
specialized cells or processes that detect changes in the environment and stimulate neurons to send nerve impulses to the CNS they provide the CNS with information about environment translates the stimulus into AP that can be conducted to CNS The translation process = transduction

Classification of receptors: by structure

1. Free Nerve Ending

Classification of receptors: by structure

2. Encapsulated neuron

Classification of receptors: by structure

3. Specialised receptor cell that synapse with sensory neuron

Classification of receptors by location

Exteroceptors - provide information

about external environment

Proprioceptors - report the positions

of skeletal muscles, jointsbalance

Interoceptors - monitor visceral

organs

Classification of Receptors: by type of stimulus 5 general types; each type is more sensitive to a specific kind of environmental change but is less sensitive to others 1. Chemoreceptor sensitive to and stimulated by changes in chemical concentration; mouth, nose, body fluids 2. Nociceptors (Pain Receptor): detect and is stimulated by tissue damage; superficial portions of skin, joint capsules

Classification of Receptors: by type of stimulus 3. Thermoreceptor respond to and stimulated by temp. changes; epidermis,

dermis
4. Photoreceptor stimulated by and respond to light energy

Classification of receptors by type of stimulus 5. Mechanoreceptor stimulated by and respond to touch, movement or pressure changes; epidermis, dermis e.g., Pacinian corpuscle (dermis); Meisner corpuscle (dermal papillae); Merkel cells (epidermis) & Merkel disc (dermis)

Sensation
A sensation results from a sensory input Transduction receptor converts energy from stimulus into a graded potential Produce two types of graded potentials Generator (produced by free nerve endings and encapsulated nerve endings; generate AP directly) Receptor (sensory receptors that are separate cells; triggers release of neurotransmitters which diffuse across synapse and generate AP on neuron)

Sensation
Integration occurs in CNS a feeling results when sensory impulses are interpreted by the brain The different kinds of sensations that are felt result from the way the brain interprets the impulses rather than the difference in receptors Projection while the sensation is being formed, the brain uses projection to send the sensation back the receptors being stimulated (e.g., the eyes seem to see)

Somatic Senses
senses associated with skin, muscles, joints, visceral organs (body) Types: Touch and Pressure Senses; 3 types Temperature Senses; 2 types Pain

Somatic Senses: Touch and Pressure

1. Free nerve endings common in epithelial tissue 2. Meissners Corpuscles encapsulated nerve fibres - Numerous in hairless portions of skin that are very sensitive to light touch, (lips, palms, soles) 3. Pacinian Corpuscles - encapsulated nerve fibres; stimulated by heavy pressure - Located deeper in subcutaneous tissues, tendons, ligaments

Somatic Senses: Temperature

Two groups of free nerve endings: heat receptors and cold receptors 1. Heat Receptors 25 oC - 45 oC Above 45 oC - Pain receptors are stimulated; a burning sensation results 2. Cold Receptors 10 oC - 20 oC Below 10 oC - Pain receptors are stimulated; freezing sensation is felt

Somatic Senses: Pain

Nociceptors Free Nerve Endings; stimulated when tissues are damaged

Special Senses
The special senses are associated with fairly large and complex structures located in the head These include the senses of smell, taste, hearing, equilibrium, sight

Special Senses: Sense of Smell

(olfaction)
Olfactory Receptors Olfactory receptors are chemoreceptors The senses of smell and taste operate together The olfactory organs contain the olfactory receptors plus epithelial supporting cells located in the upper nasal cavity

Olfactory Organs

Olfaction
Olfactory epithelium in superior part of nasal cavity Contains: olfactory receptors (bipolar neurons) supporting cells (pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium) basal cells (stem cells): mitotic
Also Olfactory/Bowmans glands: mucous production

Special Senses: Sense of Smell (olfaction) To be detected, chemicals that enter the nasal cavity must first be dissolved in the watery fluid surrounding the cilia of the olfactory receptor cells When olfactory receptors are stimulated, generator potential is generated (depolarization) then AP

Special Senses: Sense of Smell (olfaction)

Receptor fibres synapse with neurons in the olfactory lobes Impulses then travel along olfactory nerves tracts (CNI) to olfactory bulb (below frontal lobe of cerebrum) to the limbic system, and then to the olfactory cortex within the temporal lobes of the brain

Special Senses: Sense of taste (gustation)

Tongue covered by mucous membrane with elevations called papillae Taste buds - the organs of taste are located within papillae Also located on some portions of the pharynx and larynx

Special Senses: Sense of taste (gustation)

Types of papillae involved in tasting - circumvallate, foliate, fungiform

Special Senses: Sense of taste (gustation)

Specific taste receptors are concentrated in different areas of the tongue - Sweet receptors are concentrated near the tip of the tongue - Salt receptors are at the tip and anterior portion of the tongue - Sour receptors are along the lateral edges - Bitter receptors are at the posterior of the tongue

Taste Bud
has 3 kinds of epithelial cells
Supporting: form a capsule Gustatory (taste) cell: with hairs which project through an opening called the taste pore Basal cells

Special Senses: Sense of taste (gustation)

Taste cells are modified epithelial cells that function as receptors Taste cells contain taste hairs that are sensitive to taste Chemicals dissolve in saliva in order to be tasted contact plasma membrane of gustatory hairs Receptor potential generated Release of neurotransmitter across synapse

Special Senses: Sense of taste (gustation)

Taste impulses travel along cranial nerves (facial, glossopharyngeal, vagus nerves) to the medulla oblongata and then to the gustatory cortex of the cerebrum

Sense of Sight
Visual Accessory Organs - aid the eye in its function 1. The eyelid: protects the eye from foreign objects - is made up of the thinnest skin of the body lined with
conjunctiva

2. The lacrimal apparatus: produces tears that lubricate and cleanse the eye -Two small ducts drain tears into the nasal cavity - Tears also contain an antibacterial enzyme 3. The extrinsic muscles of the eye: attach to the sclera and move the eye in all directions

Structure of the Eye

The eye is a fluid-filled hollow sphere with three distinct layers 1. The Outer layer is the sclera & cornea The optic nerve and blood vessels pierce the sclera at the posterior of the eye

The Eye

Structure of the Eye

2. The Middle layer includes the choroid, ciliary body, lens and iris

a. The choroid: highly vascular, darkly pigmented, performs two functions

i. to nourish other tissues of the eye ii. to keep the inside of the eye dark b. The ciliary body forms a ring around the front of the eye; contains ciliary muscles and suspensory ligaments that hold the c. lens in position and change its shape (focus) - The ability of the lens to adjust shape to facilitate focusing is called accommodation

Structure of the Eye

d. The iris is a thin, smooth muscle diaphragm that adjusts the amount of light entering the pupil - The iris has a circular set and a radial set of muscle fibres The anterior chamber (between the cornea and iris) and the posterior chamber (between the iris and vitreous body and housing the lens) make up the anterior cavity - The anterior cavity is filled with aqueous humor - The aqueous humor circulates from one chamber to the other through the pupil
- The posterior cavity of the eye is filled with vitreous humor

Structure of the Eye

3. The Inner layer - the retina, which contains photoreceptors: rods (have pigments that respond to dim light); cones (bright light and colour) In the center of the retina fovea centralis the point of sharpest vision in the retina; has the highest no. of cones Medial to the fovea centralis is the optic disk, where nerve fibres leave the eye (blind spot)

Vision
To see something in detail, a person moves the eyes so the image falls on the fovea centralis The proportion of cones decreases with distance from the fovea centralis Visual Pigments 1. The light-sensitive pigment in rods is rhodopsin, a. Decomposition of rhodopsin generates a nerve impulse b. Nerve impulses travel away from the retina

Vision
2. The light-sensitive pigments in cones are isodopsins there are three sets of cones, each containing a different visual pigment each of the three pigments is sensitive to different wavelengths of light The color perceived depends upon which sets of cones the light stimulates if all three sets are stimulated, the color is white; if none are stimulated, the color is black

Visual Nerve Pathways

Rods & cones synapse with bipolar cells in the retina These synapse with ganglion cells still in the retina The axons of ganglion cells leave the eyes to form the optic nerves

Vision
Rays of light pass through cornea, aqueous humour, lens, vitreous humour, to retina Rays refracted (bent) Rays converge to strike a point on the retina where the image is focused

The eye
2. Fibres from the medial half of the retina cross over in the optic chiasma 3. Impulses are transmitted to the thalamus and then to the visual cortex of the occipital lobe

The ear
The ear has external (outer), middle, and inner sections and provides the senses of hearing and equilibrium Outer Ear 1. The external ear consists of the pinna (cartilage); and the external auditory canal/meatus (ear canal) 2. The pinna collects the sound waves that travel down the canal and directs them toward tympanic membrane Also present ceruminous glands (produce ear wax) hairs

The ear: Middle Ear

Function = to transmit, amplify and concentrate sound waves 1. air-filled space; begins with the tympanic membrane (eardrum), houses the auditory ossicles (malleus, incus, stapes) - The tympanic membrane vibrates the malleus, which vibrates the incus, then the stapes - The stapes vibrates the fluid inside the oval window of the inner ear 2. The auditory, or Eustachian tube connects the middle ear to the throat to help maintain equal air pressure on both sides of the eardrum 3. Middle ear ends with round and oval windows 4. Oval window = the entrance to inner ear

The ear: Inner Ear

The inner ear is made up of bony and membranous labyrinth (intercommunicating

chambers and tubes)

- Membranous labyrinth is within the bony labyrinth - Between the two labyrinths is perilymph - Endolymph is inside the membranous labyrinth (B.L. contains perilymph)
(M.L. filled with endolymph and surrounded by perilymph)

The ear: Inner Ear

the inner ear can further be divided into three regions: cochlea, vestibule & semi-circular canals the cochlea (snail shaped portion); houses the organ of hearing the vestibule (between cochlea and semi-cicular canals) and semicircular canals (3 rings) function in equilibrium

The ear: Inner Ear

Within the cochlea, the oval window leads to the upper compartment, called the vestibular duct (scala vestibuli) A lower compartment, the tympanic duct (scala tympani), leads to the round window The cochlear duct lies between these two compartments and is separated from the vestibular duct by the vestibular membrane, and from the tympanic duct tympanic duct by the basilar membrane

The ear: Inner Ear

The organ of Corti has receptor cells called hair cells which lie on the basilar membrane Hair cells have hairs that extend into the endolymph of the cochlear duct Above the hair cells lies the tectorial membrane, which touches the tips of the stereocilia (hairs) Nerve fibres [vestibulocochlear nerve (CN VIII) ] carry impulses to the auditory cortices of the temporal lobes of the cerebrum

Pathway of sound waves

1. pinna 2.external auditory meatus 3.tympanic membrane 4.malleus 5.incus 6.stapes 7.oval window 8.perilymph of vestibular duct 9.endolymph of cochlear duct 10. hair cells in Organ of Corti

Equilibrium
The sense of equilibrium consists of two parts: static and dynamic equilibrium 1. The organs of static equilibrium help to maintain the position of the head when the head and body are still 2. The organs of dynamic equilibrium help to maintain balance when the head and body suddenly move and rotate

Static Equilibrium
1. The organs of static equilibrium are located within the vestibule, inside the utricle and saccule (expansions of the membranous labyrinth) 2. A macula, consisting of receptor (hair) cells, lies inside the utricle and saccule 3. The hair of the cells contact gelatinous material holding otoliths (calcium carbonate crystals) 4. Change in position of the head causes the gelatin and otoliths to shift, bending hair cells and generating a nervous impulse 5. Impulses travel to the brain via the vestibular branch of the vestibulocochlear nerve, to the pons which directs the impulse to the cerebellum for interpretation

Macula of vestibule

otorrinos2do.wordpress.com

Dynamic Equilibrium
1. The three semicircular canals detect motion of the head, and they aid in balancing the head and body during sudden movement 2. Each canal oriented at right angles to the others 3. The base of each canal has a swelling called an ampulla. Receptor (hair) cells called cristae are embedded in a gelatinous cupula inside the ampulla 4. Rapid turning of the head or body generates impulses as the cupula and hair cells bend