Misericordia University Sensory General Physiology Tony Serino, Ph.D. Biology Department Misericordia University

Sensation –state of awareness of external and internal conditions of the body Four conditions for sensation: 1. Adequate stimulus 2. Adequate receptor (transducer) 3. Conduction 4. Translation (interpretation)

Brain’s Assumption in Translating Assumption: Source of light is from above

Reversing X pattern; notice shading.

How many triangles? Assumption: Straight lines should connect.

Which dark line is larger? Assumption: perspective

Characteristics of Sensation Modality –ability to interpret nerve impulses differently Projection –referral of sensation to point of origin Adaptation –decrease in sensitivity of receptors to continued stimulation Phasic (fast) Tonic (slow) Some receptors never adapt (pain, cold, etc.) Afterimage –persistence of sensation after stimulus ceases

Receptor Physiology Stimulation of a receptor leads to the generation of a receptor (generator) potential in its membrane. These are usually excitatory, and are similar to the EPSPs found in neurons If the receptor potential reaches the threshold potential for the sensory neuron; it fires an AP into the CNS Strength of the stimulus is therefore encoded by the number of AP generated Sensations may be sharpened through Lateral Inhibition

Lateral Inhibition - -

General Senses Cutaneous –skin receptors Proprioception –sense of body position Nociception –pain perception (chemoreceptors that perceive locally secreted warning hormones (prostaglandins))

Sensitivity of Skin due to Receptive Fields

Proprioceptors

Muscle sensors Muscle spindles (Intrafusal fibers: -senses degree of length of muscle fibers and the rate of change in length Golgi Tendon organs –sense tension within tendon

Relationship of Stretch to AP

Referred Pain Illustrates projection.

General Pathway of Perception

Taste (Gustatory) Sense

Olfaction (smell) Sense

Olfactory Epithelium

Olfaction Signal Transduction

Vision

Eye Anatomy

Aqueous Humor Flow (Canal of Schlemm) Glaucoma results from inadequate drainage of Aqueous Humor leading to increase pressure in the eye.

Iris controls amount of light entering the eye.

Distant Vision

Near Vision (Accomodation)

Near and Far-sightedness

Astigmatism and Presbyopia Astigmatism –results from imperfections in the resolving structures in the eye (lens and/or cornea) Presbyopia is the loss of near vision with age; resulting from a decrease in elasticity of the lens.

Retina Cellular Arrangement

Blind Spot Optic Disc (blind spot) Optic N.

Photoreceptors: Cones and Rods

Three Population of Cones

Rod’s and Cone’s Photopigments

Rhodopsin

Light Signal Transduction

Visual Processing

Sound

Frequency vs. Loudness Frequency measured in hertz (Hz) Loudness measured in decibels (dB)

Anatomy of the Ear

Ossicles Amplify Sound

Cochlea and Cochlear Duct

Frequency Perception Different frequency (pitch) of sound stimulates different areas of cochlear duct The overall area stimulated relates to the sound intensity

Vestibular Apparatus

Macula of Utricle and Saccule

Macula Otoconia (otoliths)

Hair Cell of Macula

AP Generation in Macula

Ampulla Anatomy