Sensory system

Sensory System

The Sensory system is a part of the nervous system responsible for processing sensory information. It consists of sensory neurons, neural pathways, and parts of the brain involved in sensory perception. Commonly recognized sensory systems are those for vision, hearing, somatic sensation (touch), taste and smell (olfaction).

Structure

The sensory system is made up of five primary senses: sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell. Each of these has a corresponding sensory system: visual, auditory, somatosensory, gustatory, and olfactory.

Visual System

The Visual system is the sensory system for vision. The human visual system includes the eyes, the connecting pathway through to the visual cortex in the brain.

Auditory System

The Auditory system is the sensory system for hearing. It includes the ears, the auditory pathways, and the auditory cortex in the brain.

Somatosensory System

The Somatosensory system is the sensory system for touch. It includes the skin and its receptors, the pathways, and the somatosensory cortex in the brain.

Gustatory System

The Gustatory system is the sensory system for taste. It includes the taste buds in the tongue, the gustatory pathway, and the gustatory cortex in the brain.

Olfactory System

The Olfactory system is the sensory system for smell. It includes the nose and its receptors, the olfactory pathways, and the olfactory cortex in the brain.

Function

The sensory system serves the purpose of allowing us to take in information from our surroundings and respond accordingly. This information can be in the form of light, sound, temperature, taste, smell, or touch.

Clinical Significance

Dysfunction in the sensory system can lead to conditions such as blindness, deafness, anosmia, and ageusia. Treatment for these conditions depends on the underlying cause and may include medication, surgery, or sensory aids such as glasses or hearing aids.

See Also

• Nervous system
• Perception
• Sensory neuroscience

References

Sensory system Resources
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