Institute of Medical Science Technology (MESTECH)

HUMAN ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY (HGD 10303)

TOPIC 6 – THE SENSORY SYSTEM

Name: Noryushazwani Sofia ID: 12106120043 Sem: Jan 2021

SENSORY SYSTEM

The eye and vision

1. Identify the lettered structures on the diagram by matching each letter with one of the
terms to the right.

i
k
p

j
 Institute of Medical Science Technology (MESTECH)

HUMAN ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY (HGD 10303)

TOPIC 6 – THE SENSORY SYSTEM

2. Use terms from the key to complete the statements concerning near and distance vision.

Key: contracted, decreased, increased, relaxed, taut, lax

During distance vision: The ciliary muscle is relaxed_, the suspensory ligament is
taut_, the convexity of the lens is decreased, and light refraction is decreased_.
During close vision: The ciliary muscle is _contracted_, the suspensory ligament is
relaxed, lens convexity is increased, and light refraction is increased .

3. Complete the following paragraph about how the brain receives visual information.

The cornea , the pupil , and the lens , all focus images on the
retina . The shape of the lens is controlled by the ciliary muscles .
When we view distant objects, these muscles relax, causing the lens
flatter attached to the all directions by to be taut; therefore
the lens's shape is flattened .

When we view near objects, the ciliary muscle contract, releasing the tension
on the lens . The shape of the lens becomes more spherical (convex) .
The pathway for vision begins once light has been captured by the lens in the
retina . The 2 types of photoreceptors in the sensory retina are rods and
cones . Rods are best suited for very dim light . They do
not provide us with color vision .

The cones require much more brighter light . They provide us with color
vision . For us to perceive vision, light must strike the rods and cones. Rods
and cones synapse with bipolar cells, which in turn synapse with ganglion cells that initiate
nerve impulses . Action potentials created by the ganglion cells travel down nerve
fibers, which assemble to form the optic nerve . The optic nerves
carry nerve impulses from the retina to the visual centres
of the brain . From the optic chiasm, action potentials then travel through the
optic tract before entering the occipital lobe.

The occiptal lobe of the brain contains the visual cortex of the cerebrum,
which is responsible for sensing and interpreting visual information .
 Institute of Medical Science Technology (MESTECH)

HUMAN ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY (HGD 10303)

TOPIC 6 – THE SENSORY SYSTEM

Hearing and equilibrium

4. Identify all indicated structures and ear regions that are provided with leader lines or
brackets in the following diagram.

Auricle

Middle
Tympanic ear
membrane Semicircular
canals
Vestibule

Vestibulocochlear
nerve

Oval window

Cochle
a
Round window
Pharyngotympanic
(or auditory) tube
stapes
External acoustic meatus
incus Ossicles

External ear
malleus

5. Match the membranous labyrinth structures in the listed key with the descriptive
statements below.

Key: ampulla, basilar membrane, cochlear duct, cochlear nerve, cupula, Otoliths, saccule,
semicircular ducts, tectorial membrane, utricle, vestibular nerve

Cochlear duct 1. contains the organ of Corti

saccule , utricle 2. sites of the maculae.

Basilar membrane 3. hair cells of organ of Corti rest on this membrane.

Tectorial membrane 4. gel-like membrane overlying the hair cells of the

organ of Corti.

Ampulla 5. contains the cristae ampullaris.

Otoliths , vestibular nerve , utricle

6. function in static equilibrium

Eupula , semicircular ducts , vestibular nerve

7. function in dynamic equilibrium.
 Institute of Medical Science Technology (MESTECH)

HUMAN ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY (HGD 10303)

TOPIC 6 – THE SENSORY SYSTEM

Cochlear nerve 8. carries auditory information to the brain.

Eupula 9. gelatinous cap overlying hair cells of the crista ampullaris.

Otoliths 10. grains of calcium carbonate in the maculae.

6. Complete the following paragraph about how the brain receives auditory information.

The process of hearing begins when sound waves enter the outer ear travel
_ through the external canal __________ __ and strike the ___eardrum
(tympanic membrane) and causing it to move back and forth or vibrate .The
vibration of the tympanic membrane is transferred to the 3 ossicles/ small bones of
the ear. From the tympanic membrane the vibration travels to the malleus , then to the
incus , and finally to the stapes , The vibration in the stapes is then
transferred to the oval window , causing it to vibrate and pass on
the pressure to the fluids within the cochlea of the inner ear.
There are 2 types of fluid found within the cochlea. The first fluid is called
perilymph  , which is found within the scalae tympani and
the vestibuli . The second type of fluid is called
endolymph , which is found within the membranous labyrinth . The
pressure waves in the oval window of perilymph of the scala vestibuli pass through the
scala tympani and cause vibrations of the vestibular membrane. Pressure waves in
the endolymph, within the cochlear duct, causes movements in the basilar membrane to
vibrate . As the basilar membrane moves, hair cells on the basilar
membrane also move. At the end of the hair cells are stereocilia , which are embedded
in the tectorial membrane. The movement of hair cells causes the stereocilia to
bend . The bending of the stereocilia stimulates the hair cells, which induces
___electrical signal in the cochlear nerve . This
electrical signal in the cochlear nerve are sent to the
ear and to the auditory nerve of the brain, where hearing is perceived
and interpreted.
 Institute of Medical Science Technology (MESTECH)

HUMAN ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY (HGD 10303)

TOPIC 6 – THE SENSORY SYSTEM

Taste and smell

7. Using different colours and the list below, colour and label the different parts involved with
the sense of taste. Then answers the questions below about the sense of taste.

Taste Sensory nerve

cell

Taste
pore

Taste
hair

Supporting cell

A taste bud consists of 2 types of cells, a supporting cell and a gustatory cell .
At the end of taste cells are taste buds , which contain taste receptor
cells that bind to taste molecules. The taste hairs project through an opening called a
taste pore . When a taste molecule binds to a taste receptor , an ion is
generated in the sensory nerve attached to the taste cell. These action potentials travel
to the thalamus area of the cerebral cortex where the brain perceives the taste.