Sensory neuron

[4] Exteroreceptors include chemoreceptors such as olfactory receptors (smell) and taste receptors, photoreceptors (vision), thermoreceptors (temperature), nociceptors (pain), hair cells (hearing and balance), and a number of other different mechanoreceptors for touch and proprioception (stretch, distortion and stress).

These sensory neurons are responsible for detecting different taste qualities, such as sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and savory.

When you eat or drink something, chemicals in the food or liquid interact with receptors on these sensory neurons, triggering signals that are sent to the brain.

The brain then processes these signals and interprets them as specific taste sensations, allowing you to perceive and enjoy the flavors of the foods you consume.

[7] In response to tastant binding, ion channels on the taste receptor cell membrane can open or close.

Photoreceptor cells are capable of phototransduction, a process which converts light (electromagnetic radiation) into electrical signals.

In humans, rods outnumber cones by approximately 20:1, while in nocturnal animals, such as the tawny owl, the ratio is closer to 1000:1.

[9] Issues and decay of sensory neurons associated with vision lead to disorders such as: The auditory system is responsible for converting pressure waves generated by vibrating air molecules or sound into signals that can be interpreted by the brain.

While the mechanisms through which these receptors operate is unclear, recent discoveries have shown that mammals have at least two distinct types of thermoreceptors.

Mechanoreceptors also help lower thresholds for action potential generation in afferent fibers and thus make them more likely to fire in the presence of sensory stimulation.

The burning pain and irritation experienced after eating a chili pepper (due to its main ingredient, capsaicin), the cold sensation experienced after ingesting a chemical such as menthol or icillin, as well as the common sensation of pain are all a result of neurons with these receptors.

[24] Nociceptors detect different kinds of noxious stimuli indicating potential for damage, then initiate neural responses to withdraw from the stimulus.

[24] Information coming from the sensory neurons in the head enters the central nervous system (CNS) through cranial nerves.

For instance, gabapentin is a drug that is used to treat neuropathic pain by interacting with one of the voltage-dependent calcium channels present on non-receptive neurons.

Thus, the energy generated by the endocochlear potential which drives the auditory signal transduction process is lost, leading to hearing loss.

[34] Ever since scientists observed cortical remapping in the brain of Taub's Silver Spring monkeys, there has been a large amount of research into sensory system plasticity.