Neuro 3050- Exam 3 And 4 Study Guide
Questions and Guaranteed Pass
Solutions 2026 Updated.
The somatosensory system includes sensations arising from stimuli impinging on what 3
groups? - Answer Skin, muscle & joints, and internal organs
Where are the cell bodies of all neurons involved in primary processing of sensory information
located? - Answer In a GANGLION located somewhere in the periphery
For the body, the cell bodies of all neurons involved in primary processing of sensory info will be
where? - Answer Dorsal Root Ganglia
For the head, the cell bodies of all neurons involved in primary processing of sensory info will be
where? - Answer In ganglia related to each cranial nerve
Neurons carrying sensations from the face will be where? - Answer In the trigeminal ganglion
T/F Receptors of the somatosensory system are distributed through the body both externally
and internally - Answer True
What 4 senses does the somatosensory system include? - Answer Touch, body position, pain &
temperature
T/F Periphery receptors use neurotransmitters just like the other receptors. - Answer False.
Use different mechanisms
T/F We can perceive touch sensations from virtually the entire surface of our skin - Answer
True
Mechanical energy elicits what type of somatosensory perception? - Answer Touch
(somatosensory & proprioceptive)
Thermal energy elicits what type of somatosensory perception? - Answer Temperature
Chemical energy elicits what type of somatosensory perception? - Answer Pain & Itch
,T/F Extremely hot or extremely cold sensations elicit not only thermal receptors but also
chemical receptors - Answer True
Why can hard pressure elicit mechanical receptors AND chemical receptors? - Answer Because
hard pressure can be painful so it can be painful as well
What type of threshold do mechanoreceptors have? - Answer Low threshold
What type of receptors detect minute forces impringing on skin? - Answer Mechanoreceptors
What type of receptors detect small changes in muscle tension? - Answer Proprioceptors
What type of threshold do proprioceptors have? - Answer Low threshold
where are the receptors for mechanoreceptors and proprioceptors located? - Answer on the
primary afferent ending itself
The cell bodies of skin mechanoreceptors and muscle proprioceptors are where? - Answer In
DRG (if in body) or trigeminal ganglion (if in head)
What type of receptor are mechanocreceptors and muscle proprioceptors? - Answer Stretch
sensitive ion channels
T/F With stretch sensitive ion channels, chemicals are needed for the ion channels to open -
Answer False. Just the force creates changes that make the channel open
What are the largest sensory axons? - Answer Proprioceptors (the ones that go to your
muscles)
What are the second largest sensory axons? - Answer Cutaneous (the ones that go out to your
skin)
The central process comes into the CNS via what? - Answer The dorsal root
characteristics of the peripheral processes - Answer proprioception: larger, more myelinated
mechanoreceptors: slightly smaller diameter, less myelination
, T/F The peripheral process does not enter course directly to the posterior column - Answer
True. Peripheral not in CNS
Aa, the largest peripheral fibers go where? - Answer To proprioceptors in skeletal muscle
Ab, the second largest peripheral fibers go where? - Answer To mechanoreceptors of the skin
T/F Both alpha fibers are slow conducting - Answer False. Fast
Ad, smaller and slower conduction fibers are involved with what? - Answer Conveying pain
and temperature information
How are C fibers different from Ad fibers? - Answer Not myelinated and even smaller and itch
Receptors that are sensitive to physical distortion such as bending, stretching, pressure, and
vibration are called what? - Answer Mechanoreceptors
T/F Mechanoreceptors are also present in the heart, intestines, bladder, and even the teeth -
Answer True
Sensory receptors transduce physical stimulus into electrical signal called what? - Answer
Receptor or generator potential
T/F The trigger zone of the peripheral nerve fiber is part of a different neuron that has a
receptive ending - Answer False. Same neuron
When the skin is distorted and the mechanoreceptor is activated, what happens? - Answer
Depolarization- positive ion moves in
What happens once a receptor/graded potential reaches threshold? - Answer The trigger zone
on that neuron is activated, causing an action potential
How is this action potential different than other neurons we've learned about (aka CNS
neurons)? - Answer Action potential moves from the end of the axon back toward the cell
body
What type of peripheral receptors are merkels, ruffinis, pacinian, and meissner's? - Answer
Cutaneous mechanoreceptors
Questions and Guaranteed Pass
Solutions 2026 Updated.
The somatosensory system includes sensations arising from stimuli impinging on what 3
groups? - Answer Skin, muscle & joints, and internal organs
Where are the cell bodies of all neurons involved in primary processing of sensory information
located? - Answer In a GANGLION located somewhere in the periphery
For the body, the cell bodies of all neurons involved in primary processing of sensory info will be
where? - Answer Dorsal Root Ganglia
For the head, the cell bodies of all neurons involved in primary processing of sensory info will be
where? - Answer In ganglia related to each cranial nerve
Neurons carrying sensations from the face will be where? - Answer In the trigeminal ganglion
T/F Receptors of the somatosensory system are distributed through the body both externally
and internally - Answer True
What 4 senses does the somatosensory system include? - Answer Touch, body position, pain &
temperature
T/F Periphery receptors use neurotransmitters just like the other receptors. - Answer False.
Use different mechanisms
T/F We can perceive touch sensations from virtually the entire surface of our skin - Answer
True
Mechanical energy elicits what type of somatosensory perception? - Answer Touch
(somatosensory & proprioceptive)
Thermal energy elicits what type of somatosensory perception? - Answer Temperature
Chemical energy elicits what type of somatosensory perception? - Answer Pain & Itch
,T/F Extremely hot or extremely cold sensations elicit not only thermal receptors but also
chemical receptors - Answer True
Why can hard pressure elicit mechanical receptors AND chemical receptors? - Answer Because
hard pressure can be painful so it can be painful as well
What type of threshold do mechanoreceptors have? - Answer Low threshold
What type of receptors detect minute forces impringing on skin? - Answer Mechanoreceptors
What type of receptors detect small changes in muscle tension? - Answer Proprioceptors
What type of threshold do proprioceptors have? - Answer Low threshold
where are the receptors for mechanoreceptors and proprioceptors located? - Answer on the
primary afferent ending itself
The cell bodies of skin mechanoreceptors and muscle proprioceptors are where? - Answer In
DRG (if in body) or trigeminal ganglion (if in head)
What type of receptor are mechanocreceptors and muscle proprioceptors? - Answer Stretch
sensitive ion channels
T/F With stretch sensitive ion channels, chemicals are needed for the ion channels to open -
Answer False. Just the force creates changes that make the channel open
What are the largest sensory axons? - Answer Proprioceptors (the ones that go to your
muscles)
What are the second largest sensory axons? - Answer Cutaneous (the ones that go out to your
skin)
The central process comes into the CNS via what? - Answer The dorsal root
characteristics of the peripheral processes - Answer proprioception: larger, more myelinated
mechanoreceptors: slightly smaller diameter, less myelination
, T/F The peripheral process does not enter course directly to the posterior column - Answer
True. Peripheral not in CNS
Aa, the largest peripheral fibers go where? - Answer To proprioceptors in skeletal muscle
Ab, the second largest peripheral fibers go where? - Answer To mechanoreceptors of the skin
T/F Both alpha fibers are slow conducting - Answer False. Fast
Ad, smaller and slower conduction fibers are involved with what? - Answer Conveying pain
and temperature information
How are C fibers different from Ad fibers? - Answer Not myelinated and even smaller and itch
Receptors that are sensitive to physical distortion such as bending, stretching, pressure, and
vibration are called what? - Answer Mechanoreceptors
T/F Mechanoreceptors are also present in the heart, intestines, bladder, and even the teeth -
Answer True
Sensory receptors transduce physical stimulus into electrical signal called what? - Answer
Receptor or generator potential
T/F The trigger zone of the peripheral nerve fiber is part of a different neuron that has a
receptive ending - Answer False. Same neuron
When the skin is distorted and the mechanoreceptor is activated, what happens? - Answer
Depolarization- positive ion moves in
What happens once a receptor/graded potential reaches threshold? - Answer The trigger zone
on that neuron is activated, causing an action potential
How is this action potential different than other neurons we've learned about (aka CNS
neurons)? - Answer Action potential moves from the end of the axon back toward the cell
body
What type of peripheral receptors are merkels, ruffinis, pacinian, and meissner's? - Answer
Cutaneous mechanoreceptors
