Somatosensory System

Stimulussensory receptorsSpinal CordMedulla/Brainstem ThalamusCortex

Terminal stimulus activates receptors/ion channels receptor potentialAPAP
convey to Spinal cord
Speed of AP depends on 1) Axon diameter 2)Thickness myelin
Large Myelinatined: Fast Aα (muscles), Aβ (skin)
Thin Myelinated: Aδ (nocioreceptors fast pain) moderately fast, cooling
receptors
Unmyelinated: C fibers conduct AP slowly (nocioreceptors slow pain, warming
receptors)
Compound Action Potential- determines whether axons are missing, damaged or
demyelinated
Intensity: each neuron-frequency of firing of AP/ rate code ---#Neurons Firing-
Spatial Summation code
Sensory pathways: ascend (peripherycortex)
Motor Pathways: descend (cortexmuscles)
Dorsal Root Gangliacell bodies of sensory neurons innervating neck down/
psuedounipolar cell (Trigeminal ganglia-sensory of head/face)
 Characteristics Set Sensitivity and Function:
Location- Superficial /Deep
Type of ending Encapsulated/nonencapsulated
Slowly Adapting (sustained unchanging stimulus,
pressure/shape) vs Rapidly adapting (changing
stimulus on/off, impact/motion)
Spatial resolution for stimulus depends on
Receptive field size and innervations density
a. Superficial- small receptive field size
b. Deep- large receptive field size
Sensitive Area- innervations density high (2 point
discrimination best for fingers/ mouth)Insensitive
Areas- innervations density low

1)Exteroreceptivecode information from the external world, mainly via skin

a)Mechanoreceptors-tactile/touch sensation, Sensitive to Force. No Noxious (pain), Silent w/o stimulation,
Myelinated Axons, Fast Conduction

Receptor Function Receptive Field Location Innervation Picture

Merkel Disks Fine touch, Multiple small Finger tips/ Several merkel
2pt spots around mouth disks innervated
discrimination Superficial- by single
, surface found myelinated
texture (bumpy between axon, Slowly
vs. smooth) dermis/epider adapting
mis response,
encodes
amount of force
 Aβ fiber
Meissner’s Fine touch, Single spot Superficial- encloses
Corpuscles 2point found flattened
discrimination. between epithelial cells,
Abrupt changes dermis/epider sensory
in edges, mis terminal
bumps, corners between layers
Encode low Myelinated
frequency Axon
vibration. Rapidly
adapting
response-
on/offset of skin
indentation
Aβ fiber
Ruffini Endings Sense of Large and Deep End
stretch: shape diffuse Receptors: Encapsulated;
of grasped found in myelinated
objects Dermis axon surrounds
collagen fibrils –
Slow adapt
response to
stretching Aβ
fiber
Pacinian High Frequency Large and Deep Fluid filled
Corpuscles vibration, most diffuse Receptors: capsule
sensitive found in wrapped around
mechanorecept dermis bare nerve
or ending,
myelinated
axon
Rapidly
adapting
response
Aβ fiber
Hair Folicle Respond to Around the Deep Bare axon
Receptors movement of base of hair receptor: wraps around
hairs follicle dermis base of hair
follicle axon is
myelinated
Aβ or Aδ fiber

b)Thermoreceptors- warming/ cooling of skin, fire AP continuously slow rate at normal skin temperature
Cooling receptors- increase firing rate when skin is cooled, stop when skin is warmed, free nerve endings
w/ myelinated axons, small receptive fields, infrequent distribution
Warming receptors- decrease firing rate when skin is warmed, stop when skin is cooled free nerve
endings unmyelinated axon (cfiber), small receptive fields
c)Nociceptors- respond to stimuli that damage/ threaten to damage tissue,
 A-mechanonocieptors: axon is myelinated (Aδ)- Respond to intense mechanical force, intense heat
(>52), free nerve endings, small receptive fields, slowly adapting response, mediate fast, initial pain,
sharp “pricking quality” easy to localize
Polymodal Noiceceptors: axon is unmyelinated (C-fiber):many modes, respond to intense
mechanical force, high heat (>45) noxious chemicals (bradykinin, histamine, acid, capsaicin) , free
nerve endings, no sheath, respond to inflammatory chemicals, small receptive fields, slowly adapting
response, mediate slow aching, burning, difficult to localize.

2)Proproiceptivecode information about muscle length, muscle tension, joint angles

Muscle afferent receptors- Golgi, Tendon, Organs, and Muscle spindles
Joint and tendon afferents

3)InteroceptiveCode information about changes inside the body

Visceral afferent receptors- Localize sensation and pain very poorly.
Baroreceptors