Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Monday, September 25
    • About us
    • Getting pregnant
    • Contact us
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn VKontakte
    Bornfertilelady
    Banner
    • Home
    • prenatal vitamins
    • Getting pregnant
    • pregnancy calculators
    • More
      • Reviews
      • Bornfertilelady Forum: Pregnancy Vitamins
      • foods for pregnancy
    • Contact us
    • About us
    • Languages
    • Due Date CAlC
    • Chinese Gender Calendar
    Bornfertilelady
    Home
    Healthcare

    Sensory System:Definition,Parts & Functions 

    Udeme Effiong EffiongBy Udeme Effiong Effiong2023-02-01No Comments8 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Email Reddit WhatsApp
    Sensory System:Definition,Parts & Functions  1
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    The ability to hear and see is a result of the intricate workings of the sensory system. 

    Sensory System
    Sensory System

     

    The speakers create vibrations in the air that travel to your ear, where they are converted into signals that your brain can interpret. 

    Similarly, the screen emits groups of photons that travel at the speed of light and stimulate specialized cells in the eye, which then send signals to the brain to be decoded.

    It's not just hearing and sight that the sensory system is responsible for. 

    It also includes the sense of smell, taste, balance, proprioception, and various types of touch. 

    However, often these subsystems are discussed in isolation, without considering their similarities and how they work together as a whole. 

    Taking a holistic view of the sensory system can provide a deeper understanding of how we perceive and understand the world around us.

    What is the sensory system 

    The nervous system's component that processes sensory data is known as the sensory nervous system. 

    A sensory system is made up of neural networks, sensory neurons (including sensory receptor cells), and brain regions involved in sensory perception. 

    The sensory systems for vision, hearing, touch, taste, smell, and balance are the most well-known. 

    The physical world is translated by senses into the mental world, where people interpret the data to build their view of the environment.

    Read also :Modern medicine and traditional medicine: Which Is the Best?

    Receptors of the sensory system

    Afferent neurons, or specialized cells that affect them, collect information from the external and internal environment in various forms of energy. 

    This energy is referred to as a stimulus, and when it activates a receptor, it is transformed into a graded or receptor potential. 

    This process is known as stimulus transduction. 

    Each receptor is specific to a certain type of stimulus, known as its adequate stimulus. 

    Additionally, receptors have a specific range of stimulus energies that they respond to. 

    However, if the intensity of a nonspecific stimulus is high enough, it can also activate a receptor.

    Receptor potential of sensory system

    The modulation of ion flow through specialized membrane receptors, known as gating, can lead to a fluctuation in the ion concentration across the membrane. This fluctuation is known as a graded receptor potential, which can trigger a nerve impulse, known as an action potential. 

    The frequency of these action potentials is determined by the intensity of the graded potential, rather than its overall magnitude. Factors that influence the magnitude of the graded potential include the strength of the stimulus, the combined effect of multiple receptor potentials, and the sensitivity of the receptors. 

    This sensitivity can decrease with prolonged exposure to a constant stimulus, a phenomenon known as adaptation.

    Neural Pathways in Sensory Systems 

    An afferent neuron, along with its receptor endings, makes up a sensory unit. 

    When stimulated, the area of the body that triggers activity in a specific afferent neuron is known as the receptive field for that neuron.

    Afferent neurons travel into the central nervous system, branching out and connecting with multiple interneurons. These afferent neurons are referred to as sensory or ascending pathways and are considered specific ascending pathways when they carry information about one specific type of stimulus. 

    The ascending pathways reach the cerebral cortex on the opposite side of where their sensory receptors are located.

    Particular ascending pathways that transmit information from somatic receptors and taste buds go to the somatosensory cortex (parietal lobe), those from the eyes go to the visual cortex (occipital lobe), and those from the ears go to the auditory cortex (temporal lobe).

    The sense of smell, or olfaction, is not represented in the cerebral cortex.

    Nonspecific ascending pathways, made up of polymodal neurons, are activated by sensory units of various types. 

    These pathways are essential for alertness and arousal.

    Cortical association areas, located outside of primary cortical sensory areas, play a role in more complex analysis of incoming information such as comparison, memory, language, motivation, emotion, etc.

    Sensory Systems 

    Our senses allow us to experience the vast array of sights, sounds, smells, and tastes that surround us. 

    Our eyes perceive light, our ears detect sound waves, our skin senses touch, pressure, and temperature, our tongues taste the food we eat, and our noses detect scents in the air. 

    The human perceptual system is designed for precision, and people are incredibly skilled at utilizing the wide range of information available to them. 

    However, it is not just the sensation that we experience, but the perception that the brain creates from the information received through our senses. 

    When we look at a view of the countryside or the face of a loved one, we don't just see a random assortment of colors and shapes, but rather a cohesive and meaningful image.

    Sensory Receptors: Seeing 

    Humans rely heavily on their vision to understand the world around them. 

    A significant portion of the brain, known as the cerebral cortex, is dedicated to processing visual information. 

    This process starts when light enters the eye and is then transformed into electrical signals that travel to the visual cortex. Here, specialized neurons work to detect different aspects of the image such as color, shape, and movement. 

    This information is then combined to form a cohesive perception.

    Research has shown that the human visual system has the capability to distinguish between up to seven million different shades of color. 

    This is possible due to the way our eyes perceive light, which is broken down into three primary colors: red, green, and blue. The specific wavelength of light that enters the eye determines the hue of a color, with shorter wavelengths appearing blue and longer wavelengths appearing red. 

    The intensity or amplitude of the light wave also plays a role in how bright or dim an image appears.

    Sensory Receptors: Hearing 

    Hearing, like vision and the other senses, starts with the process of transmission. The sound waves that are captured by our ears are transformed into neural signals and sent to the brain, where they are combined with previous experiences and perceived as the sounds we hear. 

    The human ear can detect a broad range of sounds, from the faint ticking of a clock in a nearby room to the loud music of a rock band in a nightclub. 

    Additionally, we have the ability to discern slight variations in sound. 

    However, the ear is particularly attuned to sounds within the frequency range of the human voice. 

    For example, a mother can easily distinguish her child's voice among a group of others, and when we answer the phone, we can quickly recognize a familiar voice. 

    This process happens in a fraction of a second, where the auditory system receives the sound waves, sends them to the auditory cortex, compares them to stored knowledge of other voices, and identifies the caller.

    Sensory Receptors: Tasting 

    The sense of taste plays a critical role in our lives as it allows us to appreciate the food we consume and also helps us to identify the nutritional value of the food we eat. 

    It helps us to select foods that provide energy, such as those high in sugar, and avoid those that may be harmful. 

    Children who are picky eaters are biologically inclined to be cautious about the food they eat. 

    In addition to taste, our sense of smell also plays a vital role in maintaining our appetite, detecting potential dangers and helping us to avoid consuming poisonous or spoiled food.

    Our ability to taste is made possible by the presence of taste receptors on the tongue. These receptors are responsible for detecting six different taste sensations, which include sweet, salty, sour, bitter, spicy and savory.

    Sensory Receptors: Smelling 

    The sense of smell works by detecting different chemical molecules through various receptor cells in the nose. 

    These receptors, like a lock and key, are specifically designed to detect certain molecules, creating a unique smell. 

    Each smell is created by different combinations of these molecules that bind to different receptors. 

    The way these combinations are decoded is in the olfactory cortex, similar to how phone numbers are created by combining digits. 

    Read also : The Role of Telehealth for High Risk Pregnancies

    However, as we age, the sense of smell peaks in early adulthood and then gradually declines, by the ages of 60 to 70, the sense of smell becomes significantly weakened. 

    Additionally, it is observed that women tend to have a sharper sense of smell than men.

    Sensory Receptors: Touching 

    Touch plays a crucial role in human growth and development. Our skin, which is the largest organ of the body, is the primary sense organ for touch. 

    It is rich in nerve endings that are capable of sensing different types of pressures and temperatures. 

    Through touch, we can feel different sensations such as ticklishness, pain, cold and heatl, depending on the area of the body being touched.

    What are the 3 principles of sensory systems? What are the 4 sensory systems? What are the 5 sensory systems? What is the function of sensory systems?
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Previous ArticleHow to Use CBD Safely for Women?
    Next Article Cesarean section | instruments names and functions. 
    Udeme Effiong
    Udeme Effiong Effiong

    My name is Udeme Effiong. Am a registered nurse and a content writer who writes and provides services to brands and Various companies. I am a young lady who is vibrant and talented. I love researching and providing solutions to questions bothering members of the public.

    Related Posts

    How to Make Neem Oil

    How to make Neem Oil at Home | Step by Step Guide (With Video)

    2023-09-18
    what does

    What Does Pineapple do to a Woman

    2023-09-18
    Does Massaging Lip Filler Break It Down

    Does Massaging Lip Filler Break It Down?

    2023-09-16

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    You must be logged in to post a comment.

    Our Picks
    Fenugreek Oil for Buttocks Enlargement

    How to Use Fenugreek Oil for Buttocks Enlargement

    2023-09-18
    How to Make Neem Oil

    How to make Neem Oil at Home | Step by Step Guide (With Video)

    2023-09-18
    How to Make Garlic Oil for Hip Enlargement

    How to Make Garlic Oil for Hip Enlargement | Step By Step Guide (With Pictures)

    2023-09-18
    what does

    What Does Pineapple do to a Woman

    2023-09-18
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    Pregnancy calculator
    ovulation (feature)

    Ovulation: How to know when you’re Ovulating.

    By Ayomide2021-02-06

    There are signs that let you know when you’re ovulating; it may be pronounced in…

    Calculator for Child gender by Rh factor of parents

    2020-10-15

    Calculator of child gender by the method of parent blood type

    2020-10-15
    Calculator of child gender by the method of “Blood Updates”

    Calculator of child gender by the method of “Blood Updates”

    2020-04-02
    About

    At bornfertilelady, we offer valuable info on women's health and insightful tips on prenatal care, recipes, weight loss, health news and more.

    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Reddit
    Popular Posts
    Fenugreek Oil for Buttocks Enlargement

    How to Use Fenugreek Oil for Buttocks Enlargement

    2023-09-18
    How to Make Neem Oil

    How to make Neem Oil at Home | Step by Step Guide (With Video)

    2023-09-18
    How to Make Garlic Oil for Hip Enlargement

    How to Make Garlic Oil for Hip Enlargement | Step By Step Guide (With Pictures)

    2023-09-18
    what does

    What Does Pineapple do to a Woman

    2023-09-18
    Load More
    From Flickr
    Ascend
    terns
    casual
    riders on the storm
    chairman
    mood
    monument
    liquid cancer
    blue
    basement
    ditch
    stars
    Copyright © 2017. Designed by ThemeSphere.
    • About us
    • Contact us
    • Disclaimer
    • Affiliate disclosure
    • Healthcare

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.