Sensory system - Somatosensory system

18 important questions on Sensory system - Somatosensory system

What receptors are linked to the somatosensory system?

Skin receptors (exteroception)
Receptors related to motor system (proprioception)
Receptors related to the rest (entero/interoception)

What are examples of skin receptors/exteroception?

Mechanoreceptors
Temperature receptors
Nociceptors = damage sensor, not pain

What are examples of motor system receptors (proprioception)?

o Mechanoreceptors
  • Muscle spindle
  • Golgi tendon organ
  • Stretch sensors in/around joints
o Nociceptors
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What are examples of enteroception/interoception receptors?

o Mechanoreceptors
o Temperature receptors
o Nociceptors

--> feed mainly to the autonomic system, but somatosensory awareness when in trouble

What is characteristic of thermoreceptors?

- Free nerve endings equipped with ‘thermoreceptor proteins’
- Cold and warmth fibers

There are two types of afferent axons of the nociceptors, which two?

1. Aδ-fibers: fast pain
-  Sharp intense pain, usually short lasting
- Important for the withdrawal reflex

2. C-fibers: slow pain
- Dull burning pain
- This is the pain you dread

There are two separate ascending systems of the
somatosensory system. Which two?

The gnostic and vital system. The two systems combined are the feel of touch

What is the gnostic system (somatosensory system)?

Touch (fine), vibration and body position

What is the vital system (somatosensory system)?

Touch (coarse), pain and temperature
this system keeps you alive

What are similarities between the vital and gnostic somatosensory system?

- primary relay neuron is a pseudo-unipolar neuron
- secondary relay neuron in spinal cord or brainstem
- tertiary relay neuron in thalamus

What are differences between the vital and gnostic somatosensory system?

- location of the secondary relay neuron
  • gnostic = caudal brainstem
  • vital = dorsal horn all along spinal cord

- decussation occurs at different levels
  • gnostic = decussation "en masse" in caudal brainstem (ipsilateral)
  • vital = decussation all along spinal cord (controlateral)

Which axons pass through the dorsal fascicle of the white matter in the spinal cord?

Gnostic pathway
-> medial lemniscal pathway

We can also feel with our head, so this gnostic system also need to be attached to the thalamus. Which lemniscus does this?

Trigeminal lemniscus (medial lemniscus is for lower body)

What is the function of the substantia gelatinosa and nucleus proprius (layer II and layer III of grey matter)?

They function as a gate. The state of the gate is influenced by somatosensory afferents and brainstem

What is the the gate control theory of Melzack and Wall?

The gate is the inhibitory interneuron in substantia gelatinosa. This controls the projection neuron in nucleus proprius.

What is characteristic for large diameter fibers?

Are skin mechanoreceptors, fast Aδ and phasic

What is characteristic for small diameter fibers?

Nociceptors, slow C-fibers and tonic

Also for the vital somatosenroy tract another route from the face to the thalamus exist. How is this tract called?

Trigeminothalamic tract

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