SOMATO-SENSORY SYSTEM

Dr. Sukanti Bhattacharyya

 SOMATO-SENSORY SYSTEM
• The Receptor

• The Ascending Pathway

o 1st Order Neuron  to spinal segment
o 2nd Order Neuron to thalamus
o 3rd Order Neuron to brain

• The Area in the Brain

 Sensation
• Sensation:
Basic recognition of the stimulus by the receptor

• Stimulus:
Any detectable change in the environment

• Receptor:
A tranducer or ADC to convert stimulus-energy to
Receptor Pot (Generation Pot)
 Types of sensation
• Somatic

• Visceral

• Special
 Perception
• Appreciation and interpretation of sensation

• Steps:
Recognition
Comparison
Discrimination
Integration
 Sensory Modulation
Accentuation / Inhibition of sensation,
in terms of quality and intensity,
depending on
the Afferent pathway,
area of the Brain activated, and
nature of Information-processing in the brain
 Dimension of Sensation
• Modality– quality
• Intensity– degree
• Adaptability– rapid/slow/non
• Affect– emotion (+/- ve)
• Acuity– precision ( innervation density,
receptive field size)
 Receptor vs. Sense organ
• Receptors–
endings of afferent nerve fibers

• Sense organs–
the receptor with its surrounding non-neural
tissues together
 Types of receptors
• Based on Function
Exteroceptors/ Interoceptors/ Proprioceptors/
Teleceptors
• Based on Adequate stimulus
( Adequate stimulus:
Form of energy to which the receptor is most sensitive)
Mechano-/ Thermo-/ Noci-/ chemo-/Photo-
• Based on Location
Superficial/ Deep/ Visceral
 Mechanorecptors
• Expanded endings:
Markel’s disc,
Ruffini endings
• Encapsulated endings:
Pacinian corpuscles,
Meissner’s corpuscles,
Krause’s end-bulbs
• Naked Nerve endings
 Mechanorecptors
RECEPTIVE SENSATION
RECEPTOR ADAPTABILITY LOCATION
FIELD SIZE ENCODED

Pacinian Very rapid Large Deep dermis, Vibration,

corpuscle non-glabrous Pressure
(Most widely skin, joints,
distributed, ligaments,
Largest) visceral walls
Meissner’s Rapid Large Sup. dermis, Flutter, Velocity
corpuscle Glabrous skin, of application
fingers, toes, of touch
eyelids
Markel’s disc Slow Small Epidermis, Location of
each below an touch
epidermal cell
 Nociceptors
• Aδ-mechanical nocipeptors
sharp pain, pin prick etc.

• C- polymodal nocipeptors
several types of noxious stimuli, including
thermal and chemical etc.
 Thermoreceptors
• Cold

• Paradoxical cold

• Warmth
 Receptor Potential
• Generator Potential

• Non- propagated depol pot

• d/t opening of stretch-sensitive Na-channel

• AP generates at 1st node of Ranvier

 Properties of receptors
• Specificity
• Adequate stimulus
• Phasic / tonic
• Acuity
• Intensity( receptor recruitment)
• Weber-Fechner Law
• Law of projection– phantom limb
• Labelled Line Principle
• Muller’s Doctrine of Specific Nerve Energy
Sensory Dermatome
Spinal Segment
Spinal Segment
THANK YOU