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What is the pathway for touch information?
Sensory receptors → spinal cord → medulla → thalamus → somatosensory cortex.
Outline the steps of pain signal transmission.
Tissue damage activates pain receptors, which send signals via small nerve fibers to the spinal cord. The 'gate' either blocks or allows the signals to ascend to the brain for processing.
Describe how rubbing an injury reduces pain.
Rubbing activates large nerve fibers, which close the 'gate' in the spinal cord, reducing the transmission of pain signals.
How does movement stimulate the vestibular sense?
Movement stimulates hair cells in the semicircular canals and vestibular sacs, sending signals to the brain about body position and balance.
How does the body sense limb position?
Muscles and joints send information to the brain about the position of limbs, allowing for awareness of body placement without visual confirmation.
What happens when vestibular and visual signals conflict?
A conflict between vestibular and visual signals can lead to motion sickness, causing nausea and disorientation.
Describe the process of sensory interaction in taste.
Smell, texture, and taste receptors send signals to the brain, which combines these inputs to create the overall perception of flavor.
How does the brain create phantom limb sensations?
The brain misinterprets central nervous system activity, leading to the sensation of pain or movement in a limb that is no longer there.
What is the role of hair cells in the vestibular sense?
Hair cells in the semicircular canals and vestibular sacs are stimulated by movement, providing information about balance and orientation.
Describe the process of proprioception.
Sensory receptors in muscles, tendons, and joints send information to the brain about body position, allowing for an awareness of the body's location in space.
Compare kinesthesis and proprioception.
Both relate to body awareness; kinesthesis focuses on movement and limb position, while proprioception is a broader awareness of body position in space.
Compare small and large nerve fibers in gate-control theory.
Small nerve fibers carry pain signals and open the 'gate,' while large nerve fibers can block pain signals and close the 'gate'.
Explain the gate-control theory of pain.
The spinal cord contains a neurological 'gate' that either blocks pain signals or allows them to pass to the brain. Small nerve fibers open the gate, while large nerve fibers close it.
How do endorphins affect pain perception?
Endorphins are natural pain relievers that can reduce pain perception by binding to opiate receptors in the brain.
What role do psychological factors play in pain perception?
Attention, expectations, and social context can increase or decrease pain perception.
How does the vestibular sense work?
Semicircular canals and vestibular sacs in the inner ear contain hair cells stimulated by movement, providing a sense of balance and orientation.
How does kinesthesis contribute to movement?
Muscles and joints send information to the brain about limb positions, allowing for coordinated movement and awareness of body position.
Explain the concept of sensory interaction.
Different senses influence each other to create a combined sensory experience, such as how smell, texture, and taste combine to create flavor.
What is the impact of embodied cognition?
Bodily sensations influence psychological states; for example, feeling physically warm can promote feelings of social warmth.
Describe how attention affects pain perception.
Focusing on something other than the pain can reduce the perception of pain, while focusing on the pain can intensify it.
How does social context influence pain perception?
Cultural norms and social expectations can influence how individuals express and perceive pain.
Explain how expectations can affect pain perception.
If someone expects a situation to be painful, they are likely to experience more pain than if they expect it to be manageable.