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LABORATORY ONE
Is your ability to discriminate mechanical stimuli greater in your fingertip than in the back of your
neck? Why or why not? (2 pt)
In this lab we examine the sense of touch and proprioception (internal sense of force or position).
Are these both forms of mechanosensory input? (1 pt)
Sensory Systems
Overview
The ability of all living creatures to acquire, process, store and
transmit information is key to their survival. Sensing
environmental stimuli such as thermal, visual, chemical, or
mechanical signals underlies the ability of animals to move
effectively in their environment, to control the environment that
they experience and to regulate their own internal environment.
Indeed, animals are capable of amazing sensory feats
including the ability to detect electric or magnetic fields, see
The fly is a Laphria grossa (a species of Bee-like
visual signals in infrared or ultraviolet wavelengths, detect Robber Flies, Gen. Laphria) from Florida. Photo is a
composite of 11 individual macro images with very
minute concentrations of chemicals or hear (and produce) limited depth of field, merged together to create an
extended focus image by Armin Hinterwirth
sounds at ultra-high frequencies. All of that sensing underlies
communication, regulation, and much more. In this lab we will use a model organism (the human) to
explore:
How does the distribution of sensory neurons reflect functional requirements for sensing?
How do sensory neurons adapt to a stimulus and what are the consequences of adaptation?
In addition, we can use data derived from all members of the class to ask broader questions about the
variation in human sensory performance. (How variable is our ability to sense mechanical stimuli? Does
age or gender matter?)
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
TABLE 1
Region Distance (mm)
Back of hand
Palm of hand
Index finger tip
Upper arm
Inner Forearm
Shin
Back of neck
Other
QUESTIONS
1.) Discuss how two-point discrimination varies with region.
2.) Suggest how two-point discrimination might reflect the functional demands of those regions for
mechanosensory input.
TABLE 2
Trial Palm of hand Fingertip Inner
error (mm) error (mm) forearm error
(mm)
1
2
3
mean
QUESTIONS
1.) Does the error of localization vary with the region? How? Discuss why.
2.) Based on your results from the prior experiment, does the error of localization vary in a similar
manner as your ability to discriminate two points? Why or why not?
3.) Does learning or experience modify the accuracy of localization?
4.) What neural disorders might you diagnose using either of these two experiments?
TABLE 3 Region____________________
1.) Place a cork on the back of your partners hand and measure the time required for the initial
sensation from the pressure of the cork to abate.
2.) Repeat an additional 2 times and calculate the average time.
TABLE 4
Trial Time (s)
1
2
3
Mean
QUESTIONS
1.) Is there much variability in recognition time among trials? Explain.
2.) How does adaptation correlated with receptor density, if at all?
2.) What are some evolutionary advantages of sensory adaptation? Disadvantages?
QUESTIONS
1.) What are the consequences of sensory adaptation? Can it be permanent? Why or why not?
2.) What do you think would happen if you followed steps 1 and 2 above and then waited 5, 10, or 15
minutes before placing your hands in the room temperature water?
Right hand
Distance (mm) _____ ______ _____
QUESTIONS
1.) Which hand is dominant for you?
2.) Does hand dominance determine precision of proprioception?
1.) With your body in a relaxed state, have your lab partner position a joint at an angle.
2.) Have your lab partner measure that angle and then return your joint to its initial state.
3.) Repeat this three times, filling out the table below.
TABLE 5 Joint____________________
Calculate the mean difference between the Positioned angle and Returned angle _________