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Chapter 18: Functions of the Central and Peripheral Nervous System Back To Chapter

18.1: Sensory Modalities

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Sensory Modalities

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18.2: Introduction to Sensory Receptors

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Sensation is the awareness of changes within or outside the body, either consciously or subconsciously.

The conscious interpretation of a sensation is called perception.

Only those sensations that are processed in the cerebral cortex, like hearing and smell, can be perceived, whereas other sensations, such as changes in heart rate, remain undetected.

Sensory modalities can be grouped into two categories—general and special.

General senses are those that are detected by sensory receptors throughout the body. They can be further classified into somatic and visceral senses.

Somatic senses pertain to the external environment and are detected by receptors in the skin, muscles, and joints. These include the senses of temperature, pain, touch, pressure, vibration, and proprioception or body position.

Visceral senses convey sensations related to internal organs, such as hunger and thirst.

Special senses are those that are received by sensory neurons housed in specialized sense organs. These include sensory modalities of smell, taste, vision, hearing, and equilibrium or balance.

18.1: Sensory Modalities

Sensation typically is the process by which the sensory receptors and sense organs detect stimuli from the internal and external environment and transmit this information to the central nervous system for processing.

General senses refer to the broad category of sensory information detected by receptors in the body and can be further grouped into somatic and visceral senses. Somatic sensations include touch, pressure, temperature, and pain and are essential for navigating our environment and interacting with the world around us. Visceral senses refer to the sensory information from internal body organs, such as the stomach, small and large intestine, and urinary bladder. These sensations, including hunger, thirst, fullness, pain, or discomfort, are essential for regulating internal body functions and maintaining homeostasis.

Special senses are the five sensory modalities dedicated to a specific function and involve specialized sensory organs. These senses are vision, hearing, taste, smell, and balance. Each of these senses relies on specialized receptor cells in specific organs, such as the eyes, ears, tongue, and nose.

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