HLTC22H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 7: Etiology
Document Summary
In order for the organs to function properly, they must recognize changes in both the external and internal environment and be able to communicate with each other to maintain homeostasis, avert dangers, and manage growth. The regulatory systems that manage this communication are the sensory, nervous, endocrine, and immune systems. Disruption in the communication among these systems plays a major role in the development of disease and in the aging process itself. Less is known about how to maintain optimal health in these systems. The sensory system is composed of five senses: touch, smell, taste, hearing and vision. Sensory organs allow the nervous system to gain information about the external environment. In the interest of brevity, we focus primarily on changes in the senses due to aging and disease rather than describing the anatomy and physiology of these highly complex organs in depth. Changes to touch receptors (meissner"s corpuscles) and pressure receptors (pacinian corpuscles)
