EXP 3202C Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Thalamus, Brainstem, Somatotopic Arrangement
Document Summary
Introduction human somatosensation is unique: ho(cid:373)o (cid:862)da(cid:374)ge(cid:396)(cid:863) apie(cid:374)s. as (cid:449)e(cid:859)(cid:448)e dis(cid:272)ussed, (cid:449)he(cid:374) setti(cid:374)g up a se(cid:374)sor(cid:455) s(cid:455)ste(cid:373) there is al(cid:449)a(cid:455)s a te(cid:374)sio(cid:374) (cid:271)et(cid:449)ee(cid:374) (cid:858)dete(cid:272)tio(cid:374)(cid:859) (cid:894)k(cid:374)o(cid:449)i(cid:374)g that so(cid:373)ethi(cid:374)g is there(cid:895) a(cid:374)d (cid:858)ide(cid:374)tifi(cid:272)atio(cid:374)(cid:859) (cid:894)k(cid:374)o(cid:449)i(cid:374)g (cid:449)hat is there(cid:895). Most animals, being sensible, have sensory systems that favor detection over identification it is better to know that something is there than to be able to say what it is. Humans, on the other hand, tend to follow the opposite (and much riskier) strategy. We have sensory systems that generally favor identification over detection. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the somatosensory system: what it means to be naked. We have eliminated or greatly reduced the receptor for detecting somatosensory stimuli. These are the receptors that are attached to body hair (hair follicle receptors) and i do(cid:374)(cid:859)t ha(cid:448)e to tell (cid:455)ou that (cid:449)e hu(cid:373)a(cid:374)s are (cid:373)ostl(cid:455) (cid:374)aked.
