PNB 2250 Lecture 34: Sensory Information
30 Nov 2016
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Document Summary
Sensory information: cell communication (endocrine and nervous system) is dependent on internal and external information. Information (perceived as sensation") is essential to survivorship/homeostasis- pick and choose, enormous cost: animals do not sense all the possible information in their environment. Too much work, only need to sense what will keep animal alive (avoid overstimulation) Same as above also sound, heat, radiation, electrical fields, light: animal specific. Optimized for different environments: dependent on a complex nervous system. Danger- what will kill me in the next 30 seconds. Internal and external change- what will hurt me. Sensory input: specialized structures- receptors (proteins) Ideally suited to detect different sensory modalities: transduction. Converting sensory information into a form understood by cells: electrical currents as output. Classic action potentials, nt release: proper wiring. In all animals, a sensation is generated in the cns and depends on sending information to the correct place. Wiring: sensations are developed in the cns not in the sensory receptor.
