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Sensory System exam Flashcards

Sensory System exam
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  • Sensory System
    Part of the nervous system that receives and processes sensory information.
  • Mechanoreceptors
    Receptors that respond to physical stimuli like pressure and distortion.
  • What is sensory transduction?
    The conversion of a stimulus into an internal signal like a graded or action potential.
  • Thermoreceptors
    Receptors that respond to changes in temperature.
  • What is the role of photoreceptors?
    They respond to light or photons, enabling vision.
  • Chemoreceptors
    Receptors that respond to chemical stimuli, involved in taste and smell.
  • What is perception?
    The brain's interpretation of sensory data, creating our reality.
  • Rods
    Photoreceptors in the retina that detect low levels of light but not color.
  • Cones
    Photoreceptors in the retina responsible for color vision and function best in bright light.
  • What is the function of the cochlea?
    A spiral-shaped cavity in the inner ear responsible for detecting sound.
  • Olfaction
    The sense of smell, mediated by olfactory receptors.
  • What are tastants?
    Molecules that stimulate taste receptors, leading to the perception of taste.
  • Nociceptors
    Receptors that respond to tissue damage and can lead to pain perception.
  • What is the role of the tympanic membrane?
    Also known as the eardrum, it separates the outer ear from the middle ear and transmits sound.
  • Proprioceptors
    Receptors that respond to position and movement in skeletal muscles and joints.
  • What is the function of the vestibular system?
    Part of the inner ear involved in balance and spatial orientation.
  • Statocyst
    A balance sensory receptor in marine invertebrates that helps sense gravity.
  • What is the fovea?
    A small pit in the retina packed with cones, providing the clearest vision.
  • Hair Cells
    Sensory receptors in the auditory and vestibular systems that respond to physical stimulation.
  • What is the function of the round window?
    A membrane-covered opening in the cochlea that dampens waves to prevent reverberation.
  • Rhodopsin
    A light-sensitive receptor protein in rods, composed of retinol and opsin.
  • What is sensory adaptation?
    The change in sensory response to a constant stimulus over time.
  • Binocular Vision
    Vision using two eyes, allowing for depth perception.
  • What are pheromones?
    Chemical signals that affect the behavior and physiology of individuals in the same species.
  • Lateral Line System
    A sensory system in fish and amphibians that detects movements in water.
  • What is the role of the olfactory bulb?
    A part of the brain that processes smell information.
  • Magnetoreceptors
    Receptors that respond to magnetic fields.
  • What is the function of the organ of Corti?
    A structure in the cochlea containing hair cells that detect sound.
  • Electroreceptors
    Receptors that respond to electric fields, used by some fish to detect other organisms.