BIOLOGY – SENSORY PHYSIOLOGY (PNS) EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

BIOLOGY – SENSORY PHYSIOLOGY
(PNS) EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS 2024\2025




Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) - ANSWER- - all neural structures
outside the brain and spinal cord
- provides links to and from the external and internal environment


Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) - it includes what structures? -
ANSWER- -sensory receptors
-peripheral nerves
-associated ganglia
-motor endings

,What does the afferent pathways of the PNS transmit? - ANSWER- the
afferent pathways of the PNS transmit impulses from sensory receptors
in the PNS to the CNS


Sensory Receptors - ANSWER- structures specialized to respond to
stimuli


Types of sensory receptors - ANSWER- 1) visceral afferents
(subconscious)
2) sensory afferents (conscious)


define visceral afferents - ANSWER- from internal organs
(subconscious)


define sensory afferents - ANSWER- -conscious
- somatic sensation (in skin and muscle): touch-pressure, temperature,
pain, itch, position
- special senses (in the head): vision, hearing smell, taste, equilibrium
(balance) - ears used for this


Traditional classification - ANSWER- sensory receptors
- visual afferents
- sensory afferents
-- somatic sensation
-- special sensesw

, Classification based on form of energy - ANSWER- - mechanoreceptors
- chemoreceptors
- photoreceptors
- thermoreceptors
- Also: nociceptors
proprioceptors
osmoreceptors


mechanoreceptors - ANSWER- skin, ear


chemoreceptors - ANSWER- nose, taste, blood chemistry


photoreceptors - ANSWER- eye


thermoreceptors - ANSWER- skin


Nociceptors - ANSWER- pain and itch


propriceptors - ANSWER- monitor the position and movement of
skeletal muscles and joints


osmoreceptors - ANSWER- solute concentration