Sensory Function of the Nervous System

By:Prof.Dr.Lobna Bayoumi

Classificationof receptors:

1-nociceptors :pain
2-thermoreceptors :temperature 3-mechanoreceptors
deformed by force touch, pressure (BP), vibration, stretch, itch

4-chemoreceptors
chemicals in solution Smell, taste, blood chemistry.

5-electromagnetic receptors

Generator Potential
(Receptor Potential)

The generator potentials [=receptor potential]: its the change in the membrane potential of the receptor when excited by a stimulus.

Its a non-propagated depolarizing potential resembling EPSP.

Source of generator potential:

Sensory Transduction

Receptor Potentials

Generator potential
*Is a non propagated localised state of partial depolarization, *It has a long duration(more than 5msec), *Not obeying the all or none rule,then it can be graded, *Not having a refractory period ,then it can be summated, *Not blocked by local anaesthesia.

Differences between generator and action potential:

Generator potential

Action potential

Graded Doesnt obey all or none rule Can be summated Unpropagated 5 millisec

Not Obeys all or non rule Not summated Propagated 2 millisec

ADAPTATION OF RECEPTOR

Somatic sensations
I-MECHANORECEPTIVE
1-tactile(touch,pressure,vibration) 2-kinethetic(conscious ,unconscious)

II-THERMORECEPTIVE
III-PAIN.

Mechanoreceptive sensations:
Tactile sensations
Crude touch. Fine touch(tactile localisation,discrimination and stereognosis). Pressure sense. Vibration sense. Itch and tickle.

Kinesthetic(proprioceptive)sensations:
Conscious(sense of movement and position). Unconscious(muscle length and tension).

Ascending sensory tracts

Objective 3b: Somatotopic organization of the tracts

Sacral

Dorsal column- Lemniscus Pathway

Proprioception and kinesthesia,

Vibration,
Discriminative touch, Weight discrimination, Stereognosis

Dosal column lemniscal system

Spinothalamic Pathways
Lateral spinothalamic tract : carries pain & temperature

Anterior spinothalamic tract: carries tickle,itch, crude touch & pressure

Spinothalamic systems

Dorsal column and ventral spinothalamic pathways

Dorsal column and spinothalamic tracts

Somatosensory Pathways

Crossover at spinal cord,Pain and Temperature,Tickle and Itch,Poorly localised touch

Crossover in medulla,Discriminative touch,Shape, size texture, weight, Vibration,Proprioception

The Spinocerebellar Pathway

proprioceptive input from muscles, tendons and joints

first-order neurons:
synapse on second-order neurons in dorsal gray horn

 second-order neurons: (Clarks nucleus)

soma in spinal cord

axons ascend in:
posterior spinocerebellar tract
dont decussate

anterior spinocerebellar tract

usually decussate

Posterior Spinocerebellar Tracts

The cell bodies of 2nd order neuron lie in Clarks column Axons of 2nd order neuron terminate ipsilaterally (uncrossed) in the cerebellar cortex by entering through the inferior cerebellar peduncle

Thermal Sensations
Two kinds of thermoreceptors
Cold receptors: 10-35 C :
Located in epidermis

Warm receptors: 35-45 C :

Located in dermis

Outside these ranges: nociceptors detect pain(0-10:cold pain,above 45 hot pain)

Posterolateral nucleus of thalamus

Pain sensation

Nociceptors
Free nerve endings

May be sensitive to:

1. 2. extremes of temperature mechanical damage

3.

dissolved chemicals, such as chemicals released by injured cells

NB:Very strong stimuli may activate all 3 receptor types.

Nociceptors
Are common in the:
superficial portions of the skin joint capsules within the periostea of bones around the walls of blood vessels

slow-adapting tonic receptors Two types of Axons carry painful sensations:

Type A fibers Type C fibers
Carried on pathway to thalamus, reticular formation, primary sensory cortex

Nociceseptive pain sensation

Due to stimulation of pain receptors

A-somatic( cutaneous and deep ) B-visceral

neuropathic pain sensation

due to disease or lesion in the CNS or peripheral nervous system

Nociceptive pain: 1-Somatic:

1- Cutaneous(fast and slow pain) 2-Deep(slow pain)

2-Visceral
(slow pain)

Fast Pain
carried by large myelinated Type A fibers

reach CNS quickly and trigger fast reflex

specific activation of primary sensory cortex easy to localize where pain occurred

Slow Pain
carried by small unmyelinated Type C fibers

reaches CNS slowly

generalized activation of the thalamus difficult to localize area of pain

Perceptual categories
Pricking (First pain-fast)
Quality: Sharp Temporal: Initial pain sensation; Brief A fibers to thalamus & cortex

Burning (Second pain-slow)

Qualities: Dull aching; Unpleasant Temporal: Later, more long-lasting pain sensation C fibers Reticular formation; intralaminar thalamus.

Nociceptive pain
Fast A delta fibers

Slow
C fibers

neospinothalamic
good localization sharp, pricking terminate in VB complex of thalamus

Paleo-spinothalamic
poor localization dull, burning, aching Terminate in RF,thalamus (nonspecific)

SPINOTHALAMIC TRACTS

Ascending Pathways

neospinothalamic tract for acute fast pain to brainstem, -VPL thalmus postcentral gyrus paleospinothalamic tract for dull and burning pain to the reticular formation ,non specific thalmic nuclei.

Somatosensory (Localisation of pain) cortex

Higher brain

+
(perception of pain)

(Behavioural and emotional responses to pain)

Thalamus

Hypothalamus limbic system

+
Brain stem

+ +
Reticular formation
( Alertness)

Noxious stimulus

Spinal cord

+
Afferent pain fibre Substance P Nociceptor

First order neuron of visceral pain

Referred pain

Pain: Referred Pain

Mechanism of referred pain

Pain

The Regulation of Pain

A-at the level of the brain

Slide 65

 Natural painkillers
endorphins and enkephalins (in small red neuron) inhibit the perception of pain by the CNS by inhibiting the release of Substance P from sensory neurons

The Gate-Control mechanism at the level of the spinal cord

The Gate-Control Theory of Pain

The Gate-Control Theory of Pain

Figure 10-12b

The Gate-Control Theory of Pain

72

Applications of pain gate theory

Stimulation of touch fibres for pain relief:
Acupuncture Massage

Sensory areas of the cerebral cortex

I. Primary areas:

1. Somatic sensory area I,

2. Somatic sensory area II, 3. Primary visual cortex area (17) 4. Primary auditory cortex area (41, 42) II. Secondary or association areas:

1. Somatosensory association areas (5, 7)

2. Visual association areas (18,19) 3. Auditory association area (22)

Primary Motor and sensory cerebral cortical areas .

Sensory Motor

Somatosensory and Motor Cortex

Some points to remember:

Levels for decussation of either first or second order neurons. Some specific characters or differences and /or similarities between tracts.

Spinothalamic damage
spinothalamic pathway Left spinal cord injury

Loss of sense of: Touch Pain Warmth/cold in right leg

Dorsal column damage

dorsal column pathway

Left spinal cord injury

Loss of sense of: touch proprioception vibration in left leg

Reticular Activating System

Network in brain stem

Arousal, sleep, pain, & muscle tone

Ascending fiber sends signals upward

Arouses and activates cerebral cortex

Controls overall degree of cortical alertness or level of consciousness: