SensoryPhysiology

Senses
Generalsenses
Pain Temperature Physicaldistortion Chemicaldetection
Receptorsforgeneralsensesscatteredthroughout thebody

Specialsenses
Locatedinspecificsenseorgans Structurallycomplex

SensoryPhysiology
Sensations&Perceptions
sensationisanawarenessofsensorystimuli inbrain perceptionmeaningfulinterpretation orconsciousunderstandingofsensorydata

SensoryReceptorTypes
Receptorispartof neuron: APtriggeredif receptor potentialabove threshold Specializedreceptor cell: AmountofNT released stimulusstrength

5COMPONENTSofSENSORY PHYSIOLOGY
I.Sensorymodalities(receptors) structuresthatdetectchangesin external&internalenvironment
modifiedneuronsorepithelialcellsthat haveevolvedtorespondtostimuli (eye, ear,nose)

5COMPONENTSofSENSORY PHYSIOLOGY
II.Receptionabilityofreceptortoabsorb energyofastimulus III.Transductionconversionofstimulus energyintomembranepotential IV.Transmissionreceptorpotentials transmittedviaAP'stoCNS V.Integrationprocessingoffrequencyof receptorpotentials

Somatic sensibility has four major modalities

discriminative touch required to recognize the size, shape, and texture of objects and their movement across the skin. proprioception the sense of static position and movement of the limbs and body. nociception the signaling of tissue damage or chemical irritation, typically perceived as pain or itch. temperature sense warmth and cold

4TypesofSensoryReceptors
1. Chemo(specificligands) andOsmo
(conc.ofsolutes)

2. Mechano(touch,pressure,vibration,
stretch)

3. Thermo(temp.change)
n n Coldreceptorslowerthanbodytemp. o o Warmreceptors(3745 C)>45 C?

4. Photo(light)

ClassesofSensoryReceptors
mechanoreceptors: mechanicalforcesstretchingalters membranepermeability
(1)haircells (deflection=depolarization=AP's) (2)stretchreceptorsofmuscles (3)equilibriumreceptorofinnerear (4)receptorsofskin(touch,pain,cold,heat)

chemoreceptors:chemicalssensesolutesinsolvents, taste,smell osmoreceptors:ofhypothalmuswhichmonitorsblood osmoticpressure photoreceptors:lighteye thermoreceptors:radiant(heat)energy phonoreceptors:soundwaves electroreceptors:detectelectriccurrents nocireceptors:painreceptors...nakeddendritesofskin (epidermis)

Thermoceptorsand mechanoceptors
Foundinthedermis Mechanoceptors:sensitivetodistortionof theirmembrane
3types
Tactilereceptors(sixtypes) Baroreceptors Proprioceptors(threegroups)
Musclespindles Golgitendonorgans Receptorsinjointcapsules

TactileReceptorsintheSkin

Touch(pressure) Touch(pressure)

BaroreceptorsandtheRegulationof VisceralFunction

Chemoreceptors
Carotidbodies Aorticbodies

Figure15.5

OrganizationofSensoryPathways
Firstorderneurons
Sensoryneuronsthatdeliversensory informationtotheCNS

Secondorderneurons
Firstorderneuronssynapseontheseinthe brainorspinalcord

Thirdorderneurons
Foundinthethalamus Secondorderneuronssynapseonthese

Intensity&DurationofStimulus
Intensity iscodedby#ofreceptorsactivated andfrequencyofAPcomingfromreceptor DurationiscodedbydurationofAPs in sensoryneurons Sustainedstimulationleadstoadaptation
TonicreceptorsdoNOTadaptoradaptslowly Phasicreceptorsadaptrapidly

 Irrespectiveofmodality, allsomatosensory informationfromthe limbsandtrunkis conveyedbydorsal rootganglionneurons Theterminalofthe peripheralbranchofthe axonistheonlyportion ofthedorsalroot ganglioncellthatis sensitivetonatural stimuli.

Theperipheralterminalsof dorsalrootganglion neuronsaretwotypes. Theterminalmaybeabare nerveendingorthenerve endingmaybe encapsulatedbya nonneuralstructure. Dorsalrootganglion neuronswithencapsulated terminalsmediatethe somaticmodalitiesoftouch andproprioception. Incontrast,dorsalroot ganglionneuronswithbare nerveendingsmediate painfulorthermal sensations.

Phasicvs.TonicReceptors
Phasicreceptorsreceptorsthatadapt quicklytostimulimeaningthatthey initiallyfireinthepresenceofastimulus andthenstop
areparticularlyeffectiveatconveying informationaboutchangesinastimulus (dynamicinfo).

Tonicreceptorsreceptorsthatslowly adaptconveyinformationaboutthe persistenceofastimulus(staticinfo.)

SkinReceptors
Thetwoprincipal mechanoreceptorsinthe superficiallayersofthe skinarethe Meissnerscorpuscle
rapidlyadaptingreceptor, coupledmechanicallytothe edgeofthepapillaryridge, arelationshipthatconfers finemechanical sensitivity. enclosesasemirigid structurethattransmits compressingstrainfrom theskintothesensory nerveending,evoking sustained,slowlyadapting response(sensesteady pressureandtexture)

Merkeldiskreceptor

SkinReceptors
Thetwomechanoreceptorsfoundinthedeep subcutaneoustissuearethe Paciniancorpuscle
ThePaciniancorpusclerespondstorapid indentationoftheskinbutnottosteadypressure becauseoftheconnectivetissuelamellaethat surroundthenerveending.(touchingatuningfork (oscillatingat200300)totheskin)

Ruffiniending(corpuscles)
areslowlyadaptingreceptorsrespondtoheavy touch,pressure,stretching,ofskin,jointmovement
(stretchoftheskinorbendingofthefingernails)Mechanical informationsensedby Ruffiniendingcontributestoourperceptionoftheshapeof graspedobjects.

Mechanoreceptors(Proprioceptors)

Receptorssignalmusclelengthandthespeedatwhichthemuscleisstretched. Consistsofabundleofspecialized(intrafusal)musclefibersenclosedbyacapsule. Thesensorynerveendingsrespondtostretchofthemusclefibers,producingthereceptor potential.

ReceptorField
Theregionwithinwhichatactilestimulus evokesasensoryresponseinthecellorits axon. Receptorfieldsvary:
receptivefieldsofmechanosensoryneuronsare1 2mminthefingertips,vs.510mmonthepalms.This indicatesthattherearemoreencapsulated mechanoreceptorsinthefingertipsthaninthepalm. Receptorfieldscanbemeasuredbytwopoint discrimination,(measuretheminimaldistance requiredbetweentwopointstoperceivetwostimuli asdistinct.)

SensoryModality

Figure103:Twopointdiscrimination

SensoryModalityLateralInhibition

Figure106:Lateralinhibition

TwoPointDiscrimination
Thetwopointthreshold variesfordifferentbody regions itisabout2onthe fingertipbutincreases to10onthepalmand 40onthearm. Thesevariationsare correlatedwiththesize ofsensoryreceptive fieldsandthe innervationdensityof mechanoreceptorsinthe superficiallayersofthe skin.

Adpatation
Whenthefrequencyofreceptorfiringdeclines afterprolongedstimulusexposure Tonicreceptorsadaptslowly andgenerate nerveimpulsesmoresteadily
prorpioceptorsareamongthemostslowly adaptingtonicreceptorbecausethebrainmust alwaysbeawareofbodyposition,muscletensionand jointmotions

Phasicreceptorsgenerateabustofaction potentialswhenfirststimulated,thenquickly adaptandsharplyreduceorhaltsignal transmissionevenifstimuluscontinues

lamellatedcorpuscles,tactilereceptors,hair receptors,andsmellreceptorsarerapidlyadapting

 Theareaofskin innervatedbyasingle dorsalroot,knownas adermatome, Dermatomalmaps areanimportant diagnostictoolfor locatingthesiteof injurytothespinal cordanddorsalroots.

Proprioceptors
(meaning"receptionforself")

Provideinformationaboutmechanical forcesarisingfromwiththebody (particularlythemusculoskeletalsystem). Theirpurposeistoprovidedetailedand consistentinformationabouttheposition ofthelimbsinspace.

Therearethreelowthresholdproprioceptors: 1)Musclespindles:
locatedinskeletalmuscle,theyareespeciallynumerousin extraocularmusclesandintrinsicmusclesofthehandandneck. signalchangesinmusclelength

2)Golgitendonorgans:
distributedamongcollagenfibersthatformtendons job informCNSaboutchangesinmmtension

3)Jointreceptors
locatedinandaroundjoints gathersinfoaboutlimbpositionandjointmovement(function isnotwellunderstood)

ReferredPain

Figure1013:Referredpain

SomatosensorySystem
Thesesensorymodalitiesarelumpedintothreedifferent pathwaysinthespinalcordandhavedifferenttargetsin thebrain. Discriminativetouchincludestouch,pressure,and vibrationperception,andenablesusto"read"raised letterswithourfingertips,ordescribetheshapeand textureofanobjectwithoutseeingit. Painandtemperature, Proprioception includesreceptorsforwhathappens belowthebodysurface:musclestretch,jointposition, tendontension,etc.
Thismodalityprimarilytargetsthecerebellum,whichneeds minutebyminutefeedbackonwhatthemusclesaredoing.

SomatosensorySystem
Thesemodalitiesdifferintheirreceptors,pathways, andtargets,andalsointhelevelofcrossing. Anysensorysystemgoingtothecerebralcortex willhavetocrossoveratsomepoint,because thecerebralcortexoperatesonacontralateral (oppositeside)basis. Thediscriminativetouchsystemcrosseshigh inthemedulla. Thepainsystemcrosseslowinthespinalcord. Theproprioceptivesystemisgoingtothe cerebellum,which(surprise!)worksipsilaterally (sameside).Thereforethissystemdoesn'tcross.

SomaticPathways SomaticPathways

Somaticsensorypathways
Threemajorpathwayscarrysensory information
Posteriorcolumnpathway Anterolateralpathway Spinocerebellarpathway

Posteriorcolumnpathway
Carriesfinetouch,pressureand proprioceptivesensations Axonsascendwithinthefasciculusgracilis andfasciculuscuneatus Relayinformationtothethalamusviathe mediallemniscus
Decussation

Anterolateralpathway
Carriespoorlylocalizedsensationsof touch,pressure,pain,andtemperature Axonsdecussateinthespinalcordand ascendwithintheanteriorandlateral spinothalamictracts Headedtowardtheventralnucleiofthe thalamus

Spinocerebellarpathway
Includestheposteriorandanterior spinocerebellartracts Carriessensationtothecerebellum concerningpositionofmuscles,tendons andjoints

Visceralsensorypathways
Carryinformationcollectedbyinteroceptors InformationfromcranialnervesV,VII,IXand Xdeliveredtosolitarynucleusinmedulla oblongata DorsalrootsofspinalnervesT1L2carry visceralsensoryinformationfromorgans betweenthediaphragmandpelvis DorsalrootsofspinalnervesS2S4carry sensoryinformationbelowthisarea

TheSomaticNervousSystem
Uppermotorneuron:CellbodyliesinaCNS processingcenter Lowermotorneuron:Cellbodylocatedina motornucleusofthebrainorspinalcord

 Providesvoluntaryskeletalmusclecontrol Corticobulbartractsterminateatcranial nervenuclei Corticospinaltractssynapseonmotor neuronsintheanteriorgrayhornsofthe spinalcord

Visiblealongmedullaaspyramids
Mostoftheaxonsdecussatetoenterthedescendinglateral corticospinaltracts Thosethatdonotcrossoverentertheanteriorcorticospinaltracts Providerapiddirectmethodforcontrollingskeletalmuscle

Thecorticospinalpathway

medialandlateralpathways
Issuemotorcommandsasaresultof subconsciousprocessing Medialpathway
Primarilycontrolsgrossmovementsofthetrunk andproximallimbs Includesthevestibulospinaltracts,tectospinal tractsandreticulospinaltracts

Lateralpathway
Controlsmuscletoneandmovementsofthedistal musclesoftheupperlimbs Rubrospinaltracts

Thebasalnucleiand cerebellum
Basalnucleiadjustmotorcommandsissued inotherprocessingcenters Providebackgroundpatternsofmovement involvedinvoluntarymotormovements Cerebellummonitorsproprioceptive information,visualinformationandvestibular sensations

controlandresponses
Levelsofprocessingandmotorcontrol
Spinalandcranialreflexesproviderapid, involuntary,preprogrammedresponses

Voluntaryresponses
Morecomplex Requiremoretimetoprepareandexecute

CentersofSomaticMotorControl

Duringdevelopment
Spinalandcranialreflexesarefirsttoappear ComplexreflexesdevelopasCNSmatures andbraingrows

SomaticReflexes

CutaneousInnervationand Dermatomes
eachspinalnerveexceptC1receives sensoryinputfromaspecificareaofskin calledadermatome dermoatomesoverlapintheiredgesbyas muchas50%,thereforeseveranceofonw sensorynerverootdoesnotentirely deadensensationfromadermatome. Spinalnervedamageisassessedby testingthedermatomeswithpinpricksand notingareasinwhichthepatienthasno sensation

SomaticReflexes
Reflexesarequick,involuntary,stereotyped reactionsofglandsormusclestostimulation Fourimportantpropertiesofreflexes
reflexesrequirestimulationtheyarenot spontaneous reflexesarequickinvolvefewifanyinterneurons andmiminumsynapticdelay reflexesareinvoluntarytheyoccurwithoutintent, orawareness,andaredifficulttosuppress reflexesarestereotypedtheyoccurinessentially thesamewayeverytime.

SomaticReflexes
Somaticreflexemployareflexarc somaticreceptorsintheskin,muscleora tendon afferentnervefiberscarryinformationfrom receptorsintothedorsalhornofthecord interneuronsintegrateinformation(lackingin somereflexes) efferentnervefiberscarrymotorimpulsesto theskeletalmuscle skeletalmusclethesomaticeffectorsthatcarry outtheresponse

SomaticReceptor:MuscleSpindle
arestretchreceptorsin themuscle
atypeofproprioceptor senseorgansthatmonitor thepositionand movementsofbodyparts

moreabundantin musclesthatrequirefine control

MuscleSpindle
consistofmodifiedmusclefibers (intrafusalfiberstodistinguishthemfrom extrafusalfibers,i.e.therestofthe muscle) onlythetwoendsofanintrafusalfiber havesarcomeresandareabletocontract middleportionactsasastretchreceptor

MuscleSpindle
Twotypesofintrafusal musclefibersbased anatomicallyonthe locationoftheirnuclei Nuclearbagthenuclei arelocatedinthecenter ofthefiber,whichbulges outintoabag. Nuclearchainthenuclei spreadoutalongthefiber likeachain. Onlytheendsofthe intrafusalfiberscontain sarcomeresandareable tocontract

Havethreetypesofnervefibers
Bothcontainprimaryafferentnervefibers(Ia)whichendin annulospiralfibersthatcoilaroundmiddlethatrespondmainlyto musclestretch secondaryafferentnervefiberswrapprimarilyaroundtheendsof nuclearchainfibersthatrespondmainlytoprolongedstrecth gammamotorneuronsfiberswhichinnervatetheendsofthe intrafusalfibers(constitutesabout1/3offibersinaspinalnerve)

AdjustmentofLengthofintrafusal fibersbyGammafibers

StretchReflex
Stretch(myotatic)reflexWhenamuscleis stretched,itfightsbackitcontracts,maintains increasedtonus,andfeelsstifferthanwhen unstretched. oftenfeedsbacktoasetofsynergistsand antagonistmusclesthereby
stabilizingjointsbybalancingthetensionofthe extensorsandflexors dampen(smooth)muscleaction

reciprocalinhibitionpreventsmusclesfrom workingagainsteachotherbyinhibiting antagonist

StretchReflex
stretchreflexismediatedprimarilybythebrain, therefore,isnotstrictlyaspinalreflex aweakcomponentofthespinalreflexisspinal andoccursevenifthespinalcordissevered fromthebrain. thespinalcomponentcanbemorepronounced ifamuscleisstretchedverysuddenlyandisthe basesofthetendonreflex
ex.kneejerk(patellar)reflex

PatellarReflex

tappingthepatellarligamentsuddenlystretchesthequadriceps femoris.Thisstimulatesnumerousmusclespindlesinthequads andsendsandintensevolleyofsignalstothespinalcord.

StretchReflex

tendonreflexisamonosynapticreflexarconlyonesynapsebetweentheafferent andefferentneuron,thereforethereislittlesynapticdelayandverypromptresponse occursin50milliseconds,toofastforbraintobeinvolved

WithdrawalReflex

amorecomplexactinvolvingapolysynaptic reflexarcwithmoresynapses

FlexorandCrossedExtensorReflex

2.sensoryneuron activatesmultiple interneurons

3.ipsilateralmotor neuronstoflexor excited

4.ipsilateral flexorcontracts 6.contralateral extensorcontracts 5.contralateral motorneuronsto extensorexcited

1.steppingonglass stimulatespainreceptors inleftfoot

 Golgitendonorganstretchreceptorslocated withinthetendons,detectingtheamountof stretchexertedbythemusclesonthebonesto whichtheyareattachedencodedegreeof stretchbytherateoffiringdontrespondto length,buttohowharditispulling synapseontoaninterneuroninthespinalcord graymatterwhichthensynapseontothe relevantalphamotorneuron,producing inhibitory(glycine)potentials
decreasesmuscularcontraction,preventsinjury