A&P Review Topic 1

Leah Enders

Somatosensory System

5 senses:
1. Vision 2. Hearing

3. Olfaction (smell)
4. Taste 5. Somatic Sensation (touch)

2 Layers1 Epidermis - top layer

No blood vessels Waterproofs body (to an extent) Helps regulate body temp

Dermis 2nd layer Blood vessels Nerve endings Hypodermis Under skin and attaches Hair Follicles skin to muscles and Sweat Glands

tendons

Anatomy & Physiology: The unit of Form and Function Saladin 2004

4 Basic Functions
Touch Temperature Proprioception (position of the body) Gain from internal sensations sent from muscles, joints, & tendons1 Nociception (pain)

All due to mechanoreceptors for touch, pressure, & stretch

1. Sensation & Perception Wolfe et al. 2006

3 Attributes of how the receptor will interpret signal

Type of stimulation (pressure, vibration, temp

change) Size of the receptor response field body area touching surface The rate of adaption (phasic vs. tonic)

Sensation & Perception Wolfe et al. 2006

Phasic receptors
Fast adapting generate action potentials when activated

stop/start quickly

Tonic receptors
Slow adapting
generate steady nerve impulse

1. Anatomy & Physiology: The unit of Form and Function Saladin 2004

Touch tactile sensation Ruffini corpuscles

Tonic receptors for heavy touch, skin stretching, & joint movement Large area for reception

Lamellated (pacinian) corpuscles

Phasic receptors for deep pressure, stretch, tickle, & vibration Large area for reception

Tactile (Meissner) corpuscles

Phasic receptors for light touch & texture
Ex: Difference b/w silk & sandpaper

Small area for reception

1. Anatomy & Physiology: The unit of Form and Function Saladin 2004

Light touch on surface Push against surface

staff.washington.edu/.../We ek2Presentation.xml

Interpretation of signal occurs in brain

How does signal get

from skin to brain? Could have up to 2 meters of pathway to get to brain where it can be interpreted!

https://www.orthocanada.com/pro/popup_image.php?pID=30

1. Sensation & Perception Wolfe et al. 2006

Several receptors combine into a neuron

Afferent neurons
Carry signals from PNS (nerves that branch out of spinal cord) to the CNS (spinal cord & brain)

http://www.webbooks.com/eLibrary/Me dicine/Physiology/Nervo us/Nervous.htm

Into Brain & somatic sensory cortex

Up Spinal Cord

Tickle ,Tickle

Into dorsal horn of spinal cord

grants.hhp.coe.uh.edu/cla yne/6397/Unit5.htm

Factors that affect sensitivity Age

Older Adults Young Adults Children

Sex : Males vs Females

Health status

Effect of gender on sense of touch? Females greater touch sensitivity than males..why? Recent Study (Goldreich D., PhD Journal of Neuroscienc
Actually due to finger size and not related to

gender Tested 100 college students Touched grooves that got progressively smaller Could be due to receptors being more densely packed with smaller fingers
ScienceDaily, December 28, 2009

Senses fluctuate widely in children

Healthy neurology vs. small fingers

Young Adults & Older Adults

Neuropathy (damage to nerves)
Age natural degradation over time AND/OR Weakness & loss of partial/all use of limb Autonomic changes in system Disease Side effects of illness
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuropathy

Enhancing tactile sensation in older adults with electrical noise stimulation Dhrub, N.T et al. Neuroreport 2002
Study on whether fine touch sensitivity could

be improved by localized low-level electrical noise stimulation Found statistical increase for 5/9 subjects and across population

Age-related changes in grip force and dynamics of hand movement.

Gilles MA, Wing AM, J Mot Bhav 2003 Investigate change in grip force produced when friction surface changed compared to young group Grip force increases with lower COF similar to young adult group

 Evoked potentials signals generated in response to

sensory stimuli Made by either mechanical stimulation or electrical stimulation of nerves Commonly at median nerve of wrist Used for monitoring during operations where cervical spinal cord or brachial plexus are at risk (median nerve originates at C6-T1) Also used for clinical studies dealing with neurological diseases Monitoring comatose patients
Somatosensory Evoked Potentials, General Principles Alan D Legatt, MD, PhD. WebMD

Here at the Hand Rehabilitation Lab.

Surface friction types Stroke Subjects

Gripping?

Vestibular System

Contributes to ability to maintain balance and spatial orientation Two Components:

Semicircular canals,

uticle, & saccule

Rotational movements

Otoliths Linear accelerations

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vestibular_system

This system sends signals to..

Neural structures that control eye movement Vestibulo-ocular reflex Muscles that keep the body in balance Control postures

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vestibular_system

Vestibulo-ocular reflex
When your head looks to

right, your eyes move leftthis is the reflex! Stabilizes images on retina during movement Also a push-pull system like the semicircular canals
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vestibular_system

Semicircular Canals
Arranged in almost perpendicular to one

another Each canal on left has counterpart on right side When one side stimulated other is inhibited Filled with fluid called endolymph Outside of these structures is another fluid perilymph What happens when this is comprimised?
Vestibular disorders
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vestibular_system http://www.vestibular.org/vestibular-disorders/balance/sensory-input.php

Vestibular Disorders
Can be caused by ear damage or disease (ex:

autoimmune) Common ones:

Paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) Vestibular Neuritis Acoustic neuroma Etc

Symptoms: migraine, imbalance, vertigo,

dizziness, nausea etc

www.vestibular.org/vestibular-disorders/balance/sensory-input.php

GVS - Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation

Small current applied to mastoid process Always makes you sway towards the anode side

Must stimulate other side toootherwise

person may get sick

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guaiDZdsDjI

Day BL, Galvanic vestibular stimulation: new uses for an old tool Journal of Physiology

Michelangelo The Creation of Man