Anatomy and Physiology of Special Sensory Organs
Sensory organs can be labeled as special sensory structures that permit sight, hearing, odor, and flavor. Sensory structures permitting proprioception, touch, thermal, and pain perception can be classified as more advanced sensory organs. The sensory neurons are trained to find out modifications in the external and internal conditions so that a person's body can react to that change. A stimulus is the first signal that is recognized by any sensory receptor of the body. Stimulus is an impulse generated when there is a change in the surroundings of a person. For example, a heated environment will alert the brain through the thermal sensory organs and generate a reflex accordingly.
Sensory Receptors
The human sensory system is one of the most complex and highly evolved structures, which processes a myriad of incoming messages. This well-coordinated system helps an organism or individual to respond to external stimuli, appropriately. The sensory receptors are an important part of the sensory system. These receptors are specialized epidermal cells that respond to external environmental stimuli. These receptors consist of structural and support cells that form the peripheral unit of the receptor and the neural dendrites which receive and detect the external stimuli.
Describe how the structures of the ear function in hearing and the pathway of nerve impulses to the parts of the brain to be processed.
The hearing and balance in humans are maintained by the ear. The ear includes;
1. The outer ear: It is the outer part of the ear that connects to the middle ear.
2. Eardrum: It is also known as the tympanic membrane and it divides the outer ear to the inner ear.
3. Middle ear: It is also known as the tympanic cavity and consists of the ossicles.
4. Inner ear: That contains the semicircular canals, vestibule, and cochlea.
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