Which of the following statements are true of sensory pathways? (Read carefully and select all the correct statements.)
A.
Sensory neurons carry impulses from receptors to the CNS.
B.
Sensory tracts include peripheral nerves such as the femoral nerve.
C.
Sensory receptors are different in that each type detects a specific type of change.
D.
Sensory receptors are similar in that they all interpret impulses the same way.
E.
Most of the sensory areas are in the cerebral cortex.
F.
The cranial nerves involved in sensations are part of sensory tracts.
The correct answer and explanation is :
The correct answers are:
✅ A. Sensory neurons carry impulses from receptors to the CNS.
✅ C. Sensory receptors are different in that each type detects a specific type of change.
✅ E. Most of the sensory areas are in the cerebral cortex.
Explanation:
Sensory pathways are responsible for carrying sensory information from the body’s receptors to the central nervous system (CNS) for processing. Let’s break down why each answer is correct or incorrect.
- A. True – Sensory neurons (afferent neurons) are responsible for transmitting sensory information from receptors (such as those in the skin, muscles, and organs) to the CNS, which includes the spinal cord and brain. These neurons form the first part of sensory pathways.
- B. False – Sensory tracts are pathways within the central nervous system (CNS), specifically in the spinal cord and brain. Peripheral nerves like the femoral nerve are not part of sensory tracts; rather, they are part of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) that carries sensory input to the spinal cord before it enters the CNS.
- C. True – Different sensory receptors are specialized to detect specific types of stimuli. For example:
- Mechanoreceptors detect touch and pressure.
- Thermoreceptors detect temperature changes.
- Nociceptors detect pain.
- Photoreceptors in the eye detect light.
- D. False – While all sensory receptors send signals to the brain, the brain interprets them differently depending on the type of receptor and pathway involved. Vision is processed in the occipital lobe, while touch and pain are processed in the somatosensory cortex in the parietal lobe.
- E. True – The cerebral cortex, particularly the somatosensory cortex (in the parietal lobe), processes most sensory information. The occipital lobe processes vision, and the temporal lobe processes hearing.
- F. False – Cranial nerves that carry sensory information (e.g., the optic nerve for vision and the auditory nerve for hearing) are part of the peripheral nervous system (PNS), not sensory tracts in the CNS.