Sensory Receptors

Q: The following is correct of sensory receptors EXCEPT

Are always associated with axons. While many sensory receptors are nerve endings (axons), some are specialized cells that synapse with neurons and are not themselves axons.

Q: For the sense of taste, the primary sensory receptors are located in the:

Taste buds. Taste buds, located primarily on the tongue, house the gustatory receptor cells responsible for detecting tastes.

Q: Sensory receptors are classified functionally based on:

The type of stimulus they detect.. Sensory receptors are primarily classified by the type of stimulus they are sensitive to (e.g., photoreceptors, mechanoreceptors, chemoreceptors, thermoreceptors, nociceptors).

Adaptation- occurs when sensory receptors change their sensitivity to the particular stimulus after being exposed to the same stimulus continuously for a long time.

What our notes say

Adaptation- occurs when sensory receptors change their sensitivity to the particular stimulus after being exposed to the same stimulus continuously for a long time. (Medical Physiology Assorted SAQs — With Answers (Past Paper Study Guide))
Receptor potential: Is a type of graded potential and is the transmembrane potential difference produced by activation of a sensory receptor. (Medical Physiology Assorted SAQs — With Answers (Past Paper Study Guide))
One of the following statements regarding sensory receptors is correct: (Medical Physiology End of Semester 1 Exam — March 2019 (Past Paper))
Definition of Receptor Adaptation: Receptor adaptation is the decreased responsiveness of sensory receptors to sustained or repeated stimuli, resulting in reduced action potential frequency despite continued stimulus presence. (Medical Physiology Paper II MCQs)
Sensory receptors are specialized structures that detect various types of stimuli from the environment or within the body. (MEDICAL PHYSIOLOGY II ESsays)
Ascending sensory pathways are responsible for transmitting sensory information from the sensory receptors in the body to the brain for processing. (MEDICAL PHYSIOLOGY II ESsays)

Study material on Sensory Receptors

Practice questions on Sensory Receptors

The following is correct of sensory receptors EXCEPT

Are always associated with axons
Are specific to one stimulus
Function is closely linked to that of the sensory organ
Are transducers
Are involved in production of receptor potentials ✅ Answer: A

Answer: A. While many sensory receptors are nerve endings (axons), some are specialized cells that synapse with neurons and are not themselves axons.

For the sense of taste, the primary sensory receptors are located in the:

Olfactory epithelium
Inner ear
Retina
Taste buds

Answer: D. Taste buds, located primarily on the tongue, house the gustatory receptor cells responsible for detecting tastes.

Sensory receptors are classified functionally based on:

The type of stimulus they detect.
Their location in the body.
Their response to repeated stimulation.
Their connection to specific brain regions.

Answer: A. Sensory receptors are primarily classified by the type of stimulus they are sensitive to (e.g., photoreceptors, mechanoreceptors, chemoreceptors, thermoreceptors, nociceptors).

Sensory receptors are classified functionally according to the following criteria, except:

The location in the body.
The nature of tissues in which they are found.
The nature of stimuli acting on them.
Their connection with the cerebral cortex.

Answer: A. Sensory receptors are primarily classified by the type of stimulus they respond to (e.g., photoreceptors, mechanoreceptors, chemoreceptors) and their functional properties (e.g., adaptation rate). Their exact location or tissue type is descriptive but not the primary functional classification criterion. Connection to the cerebral cortex relates to processing, not receptor function itself.

Sensory receptors in the skin have a different structure than sensory receptors in the eye. The most reasonable explanation for the difference in structure is that

receptors in the skin are connected to nerve cells, but receptors in the eye are not
receptors in the eye respond to a different type of input than receptors in the skin
there are many more sensory receptors in the skin than receptors in the eye
only the sensory receptors in the eye transmit signals directly to the brain
Mostly unchanged in early disease

Answer: B. Different sensory modalities require different receptor structures. Photoreceptors detect light waves, while skin receptors detect mechanical pressure, temperature, and chemicals. ---

Sensory receptors are classified functionally according to the following criteria, except ---

their location in the body
the nature of tissues in which they are found
the nature of stimuli acting on them
their connection with cerebral cortex
none of the above

Answer: A.