Types of Sensory Receptors

Need help preparing for the Psych/Soc section of the MCAT? MedSchoolCoach expert, Ken Tao, will teach everything you need to know about types of sensory receptors for sensory processing. Watch this video to get all the MCAT study tips you need to do well on the psychology section of the exam!

Baroreceptor cells detect pressure. For example, the baroreceptor cells in your circulatory system are able to detect high blood pressure or low blood pressure. In response to the activation of baroreceptor cells, the body is able to trigger homeostatic responses that bring blood pressure back to normal levels.

Mechanoreceptors detect mechanical forces. For example, mechanoreceptors in the skin can detect touch, pressure, and stretching. In addition, the cilia of the ear are the auditory mechanoreceptors that respond to sound waves.

Chemoreceptors detect chemical substances. For example, the olfactory receptors produce smell by detecting various chemicals in air, the gustatory receptor cells produce taste by detecting various chemicals in food.

Photoreceptors detect light. Within the retina of our eyes, we have two different types of photoreceptors. Cone cells are responsible for the high acuity detection of different colors of light. Rod cells are responsible for the detection of low intensity, uncolored light. In dim light situations, you can barely see colors like blue, green, and red, and instead, most objects appear in black and white. This is because under situations of low light intensity, cone cells are not activated and so we cannot see color, but rods are activated, and we can perceive objects in grayscale.

Thermoreceptors are for detecting temperature. Within our body are nerve endings that detect temperature change, low temperatures, and high temperatures. Incidentally, many of these nerve endings responsible for detecting temperature have binding sites for the chemical capsaicin, the molecule in spicy foods that makes them hot. That's why when you eat spicy foods, your body might feel warmer.

Nociceptors are free nerve endings responsible for pain detection. Noxious stimuli can include extreme temperatures, extreme mechanical forces, and certain chemical substances.

Proprioceptors detect movement and the position your body is in. For instance, when you're in an elevator, when the elevator goes up or goes down, you're able to detect that motion. Additionally, proprioceptors help your mind keep track of the position of your body. If you close your eyes, you're able to take your finger and touch your nose. Despite not being able to see your arm, finger, or nose, the proprioceptors in your body allow you to detect the position of your limbs in space, and you can construct a mental picture of where you are that guides your movement.

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