What does somatosensory system mean?
Definitions for somatosensory system
so·matosen·so·ry sys·tem
This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word somatosensory system.
Princeton's WordNet
somesthesia, somesthesis, somaesthesia, somaesthesis, somatesthesia, somataesthesis, somatosensory system, somatic sensory system, somatic sensenoun
the faculty of bodily perception; sensory systems associated with the body; includes skin senses and proprioception and the internal organs
Wikipedia
Somatosensory system
In physiology, the somatosensory system is the network of neural structures in the brain and body that produce the perception of touch (haptic perception), as well as temperature (thermoception), body position (proprioception), and pain. It is a subset of the sensory nervous system, which also represents visual, auditory, olfactory, and gustatory stimuli. Somatosensation begins when mechano- and thermosensitive structures in the skin or internal organs sense physical stimuli such as pressure on the skin (see mechanotransduction, nociception). Activation of these structures, or receptors, leads to activation of peripheral sensory neurons that convey signals to the spinal cord as patterns of action potentials. Sensory information is then processed locally in the spinal cord to drive reflexes, and is also conveyed to the brain for conscious perception of touch and proprioception. Note, somatosensory information from the face and head enters the brain through peripheral sensory neurons in the cranial nerves, such as the trigeminal nerve. The neural pathways that go to the brain are structured such that information about the location of the physical stimulus is preserved. In this way, neighboring neurons in the somatosensory cerebral cortex in the brain represent nearby locations on the skin or in the body, creating a map, also called a cortical homunculus.
ChatGPT
somatosensory system
The somatosensory system is a part of the sensory nervous system that is responsible for processing sensations such as touch, temperature, body position, pain, and pressure. It comprises sensory receptors and sensory neurons in the skin, muscles, joints, and other areas of the body. This system is essential for perceiving our physical environment and controlling our movements.
Wikidata
Somatosensory system
The somatosensory system is a diverse sensory system comprising the receptors and processing centres to produce the sensory modalities such as touch, temperature, proprioception, and nociception. The sensory receptors cover the skin and epithelia, skeletal muscles, bones and joints, internal organs, and the cardiovascular system. While touch is considered one of the five traditional senses, the impression of touch is formed from several modalities. In medicine, the colloquial term "touch" is usually replaced with "somatic senses" to better reflect the variety of mechanisms involved. Somatic senses are sometimes referred to as somesthetic senses, with the understanding that somesthesis includes touch, proprioception and also haptic perception. The system reacts to diverse stimuli using different receptors: thermoreceptors, nociceptors, mechanoreceptors and chemoreceptors. Transmission of information from the receptors passes via sensory nerves through tracts in the spinal cord and into the brain. Processing primarily occurs in the primary somatosensory area in the parietal lobe of the cerebral cortex. At its simplest, the system works when activity in a sensory neuron is triggered by a specific stimulus such as heat; this signal eventually passes to an area in the brain uniquely attributed to that area on the body—this allows the processed stimulus to be felt at the correct location. The point-to-point mapping of the body surfaces in the brain is called a homunculus and is essential in the creation of a body image. This brain-surface map is not immutable, however. Dramatic shifts can occur in response to stroke or injury.
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Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of somatosensory system in Chaldean Numerology is: 9
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of somatosensory system in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2
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"somatosensory system." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2025. Web. 27 Feb. 2025. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/somatosensory+system>.
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