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Sensory
Sensory means relating to sensation. Sensation is a
feeling or awareness of a state or condition of the
body that is caused by some type of stimulation of a
sense receptor. Sensory neurons (nerve cells) take
sensory stimuli from environmental input and send
information about it to the sensory receptors (sensory
nerve endings) in the central nervous system (brain
and spinal cord). The sensory information is sent in the
form of signals which are then interpreted by the brain
as different types of smells, tastes, sight, touch, or
sound. Specific sensory receptors are only receptive
to certain types of sensory information and not others.
FEATURED BOOK: Sensation and Perception
For example, some taste receptors only bind to sweet chemicals whereas others only
bind to sour ones. The study of how, what, and why organisms obtain certain sensory
information is known as sensory ecology. Sensory is a term that if often linked with
perception (e.g., sensory-perception) because sensory information must first be
interpreted and organized to form a perception (understanding/awareness of the
environment). Sensory also means relating to a part or all of the body's sensory nerves.
A delta fibers are sensory nerve fibers in the body, which means that they transmit
sensory information (specifically the sensations of pressure and cold). C fibers carry
slow burning chronic pain sensations and are unmyelinated. Sensory comes from the
Latin word, "sentire," meaning "to feel."
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