Skip to content
Quick Guides

Anatomy and Physiology - The Sensory System

Preview 10 of 55 pages

See the first 10 pages exactly as they appear in the document.

  1. Page 1
    Read page 1 as text

    Study Guide Anatomy and Physiology – The Sensory System 1. Quiz: Sensory Receptors 1. Question Sensory receptors are often the __________ of neurons. Answer Choices • axons • somas • dendrites Correct Answer dendrites Why This Is Correct Sensory receptors usually detect a stimulus at the dendrites (receiving end) of a neuron. The dendrites collect the information and start the nerve signal. 2. Question Which sensory receptors detect changes in carbon dioxide levels in the blood? Answer Choices • chemoreceptors • exteroceptors • encapsulated receptors

  2. Page 2
    Read page 2 as text

    Study Guide Correct Answer chemoreceptors Why This Is Correct Chemoreceptors detect chemical changes in the body, including levels of: • carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ) • oxygen (O ₂ ) • pH changes These help regulate breathing and homeostasis. 3. Question Which classifications of sensory receptors could be the same? Answer Choices • mechanoreceptors and exteroceptors • thermoreceptors and interoceptors • photoreceptors and proprioceptors Correct Answer thermoreceptors and interoceptors Why This Is Correct A receptor can be classified in two ways at the same time : • by type of stimulus (like thermo = temperature) • by location (like interoceptors = inside the body) So thermoreceptors that monitor internal body temperature can also be interoceptors .

  3. Page 3
    Read page 3 as text

    Study Guide 2. The Somatic Senses (General Senses) The somatic senses (also called general senses ) help your body collect information about: cutaneous sensations → sensations felt on the skin surface proprioceptive sensations → body position and movement awareness In simple words: Somatic senses help you feel touch, pressure, temperature, pain , and also help you know where your body parts are , even with your eyes closed. Types of Stimuli Detected by Somatic Senses Somatic senses detect four main kinds of stimuli: 1. Tactile stimuli (touch and pressure) 2. Thermal stimuli (heat and cold) 3. Pain stimuli 4. Proprioceptive stimuli (position and movement) 1. Tactile Stimuli (Touch and Pressure) Tactile sensations are detected by mechanoreceptors (receptors that respond to physical pressure, stretching, or movement). These receptors allow you to feel: • touch • pressure A. Merkel Discs Function: detect surface pressure (light touch) Type: receptors with free nerve endings

  4. Page 4
    Read page 4 as text

    Study Guide Location: deep in the epidermis Example: feeling gentle pressure when something touches your skin lightly. B. Root Hair Plexuses Function: detect movement of hair Type: receptors with free nerve endings Location: around hair follicles Example: feeling a tiny insect move across your arm hair. C. Corpuscles of Touch (Meissner’s Corpuscles) Function: detect surface pressure (light touch) Type: receptors with encapsulated nerve endings Location: in the dermal papillae , close to the skin surface Example: feeling a soft tap or gentle rubbing sensation. D. Pacinian Corpuscles Function: detect deep pressure Type: encapsulated nerve receptors Location: in the subcutaneous layer (below the skin) Example: feeling strong pressure when you press firmly on your skin. 2. Thermal Stimuli (Heat and Cold) Thermal sensations are detected by: thermoreceptors Type: free nerve endings

  5. Page 5
    Read page 5 as text

    Study Guide They respond to: • heat • cold 3. Pain Stimuli Pain sensations are detected by: nociceptors Type: free nerve endings These help you detect potentially harmful stimuli (like sharp objects or extreme temperatures). 4. Proprioceptive Stimuli (Body Position Sense) Proprioception helps you sense: body position movement muscle tension Even without looking. These sensations are detected by mechanoreceptors found mainly in muscles, tendons, and joints. A. Muscle Spindles Function: detect changes in muscle stretch/length Location: inside skeletal muscles They consist of: • specialized skeletal muscle fibers • enclosed in a spindle - shaped connective tissue capsule

  6. Page 6
    Read page 6 as text

    Study Guide B. Golgi Tendon Organs Function: detect tension where muscle pulls on tendon Location: at the junction of tendons and muscles C. Joint Kinesthetic Receptors Function: detect movement and position changes in joints Location: in synovial joints 3. Quiz: The Somatic Senses 1. Question Which sensory receptors are associated with the joints of the body? Answer Choices • interoceptors • exteroceptors • proprioceptors Correct Answer proprioceptors Why This Is Correct Proprioceptors are found in joints, muscles, and tendons . They help the brain know body position and movement (like where your arm is without looking). 2. Question Which sensory receptors detect deep pressure (not surface pressure)?

  7. Page 7
    Read page 7 as text

    Study Guide Answer Choices • Merkel discs • Pacinian corpuscles • Meissner’s corpuscles Correct Answer Pacinian corpuscles Why This Is Correct Pacinian corpuscles are located deeper in the skin and detect deep pressure and vibration . • Meissner’s corpuscles = light touch (surface) • Merkel discs = light pressure/texture (surface) 4. Vision (How the Eye Works) Vision allows us to detect light and turn it into information the brain can understand. The eye is like a living camera — it collects light, focuses it, and sends signals to the brain so we can “see” the world.

  8. Page 8
    Read page 8 as text

    Study Guide Figure 1. Details of the eye and the retina. 4.1 Accessory Organs That Support the Eye The eye is protected and supported by several accessory structures: 1. Eyebrows Eyebrows: • shade the eyes • help stop sweat from the forehead from running into the eyes

  9. Page 9
    Read page 9 as text

    Study Guide 2. Eyelids (Palpebrae) Eyelids: • protect the eyeball • shade the eye • help lubricate the surface The upper eyelid is lifted by the muscle: levator palpebrae superioris Each eyelid is strengthened internally by connective tissue called the: tarsal plate Inside the tarsal plate are: tarsal (Meibomian) glands These glands secrete oil - like substances that prevent the eyelids from sticking together. The inner lining of the eyelid is the: conjunctiva This is a mucous membrane that: • produces lubricating secretions • folds back and continues onto the white part of the eye 3. Eyelashes Eyelashes protect the eyeball. Nerve endings at the base of eyelash hairs create a reflex action: if eyelashes are touched, eyelids close automatically.

  10. Page 10
    Read page 10 as text

    Study Guide 4. Lacrimal Apparatus (Tears) The lacrimal system makes and drains tears. Tears (lacrimal fluid) are produced by the lacrimal glands , located above each eye (toward the lateral side). Tear flow pathway: 1. Tears spread across the eyeball 2. Enter two small openings called lacrimal puncta 3. Travel through lacrimal canals → into the lacrimal sac 4. Drain through the nasolacrimal duct 5. Enter the nasal cavity Tears contain: • antibodies • lysozyme (an enzyme that destroys bacteria) 5. Extrinsic Eye Muscles Six extrinsic muscles control eyeball movement: • lateral rectus • medial rectus • superior rectus • inferior rectus • superior oblique • inferior oblique These provide fine motor control of eye movement.

45 more pages in the full document

Unlock it once and it stays in your library, ready to chat with or turn into flashcards.

Unlock the full document

More Anatomy and Physiology study materials

See all

Study this document with CramX

Once it is in your library, every tool can work from it.