receptive field

(noun)

The particular region of the sensory space (e.g., the body surface, space inside the ear) in which a stimulus will trigger the firing of that neuron. 

Related Terms

  • Aβ fibers
  • Aδ fiber
  • Aβ fiber
  • adaptation
  • Ruffini ending
  • Merkel's disc
  • Pacinian corpuscle

Examples of receptive field in the following topics:

  • Integration of Signals from Mechanoreceptors

    • In the somatosensory system, receptive fields are regions of the skin or of internal organs.
    • Some types of mechanoreceptors have large receptive fields, while others have smaller ones.
    • Large receptive fields allow the cell to detect changes over a wider area, but lead to a less-precise perception.
    • Receptors with large receptive fields usually have a "hot spot": an area within the receptive field (usually in the center, directly over the receptor) where stimulation produces the most intense response.
    • The size of the receptive field of a single receptor could be estimated from that distance.
  • Cutaneous Sensation

    • Four key types of mechanoreceptor have been described based on their response to stimulation and receptive field.
    • The receptive field—the region in which a receptor can sense an effect—can vary from small to large.
    • It demonstrates a rapid response and has a small receptive field; it is useful for detecting texture or movement of objects against the skin.
    • It demonstrates a slow response and has a large receptive field; it is good for detecting steady pressure or stretching, such as during the movement of a joint.
    • It demonstrates a fast response and has a large receptive field; it is useful for detecting large changes in the environment, such as vibrations.
  • Reception

    • Reception is the first step in the processing of sensation and is dependent on the receptor type, stimulus, and receptive field.
    • For example, the shark, unlike most fish predators, is electrosensitive (i.e., sensitive to electrical fields produced by other animals in its environment).
    • The first step in sensation is reception: the activation of sensory receptors by stimuli such as mechanical stimuli (being bent or squished, for example), chemicals, or temperature.
    • The region in space in which a given sensory receptor can respond to a stimulus, be it far away or in contact with the body, is that receptor's receptive field.
    • Think for a moment about the differences in receptive fields for the different senses.
  • Tactile Sensation

    • Furthermore, each has a different receptive field:
  • Somatosensation: Pressure, Temperature, and Pain

    • These receptors differ in their field size (small or large) and their speeds of adaptation (fast or slow).
    • Thus, there are four types of mechanoreceptors based on the four possible combinations of fast vs. slow speed and large vs. small receptive fields.
    • The receptive field size refers to the amount of skin area that responds to the stimulus, with smaller areas specializing in locating stimuli accurately.
  • Somatosensory Receptors

    • The receptive fields of Merkel's disks are small, with well-defined borders.
    • Pacinian corpuscles, such as these visualized using bright field light microscopy, detect pressure (touch) and high-frequency vibration.
    • Meissner corpuscles in the fingertips, such as the one viewed here using bright field light microscopy, allow for touch discrimination of fine detail.
  • Transduction and Perception

    • Four aspects of sensory information are encoded by sensory systems: the type of stimulus, the location of the stimulus in the receptive field, the duration of the stimulus, and the relative intensity of the stimulus.
  • Digital Surveys

    • However, the online research field remains relatively new and continues to evolve.
  • Intended Context of Reception

    • Art's context of reception depends on a variety of circumstances, both on the part of the artist as well as the artistic community the artist is participating in.
    • Art's context of reception depends on a variety of circumstances, both on the part of the artist as well as the artistic community and climate that the artist is participating in.
  • Vision: The Visual System, the Eye, and Color Vision

    • Visual reception occurs at the retina where photoreceptor cells called cones and rods give an image color and shadow.
    • The left hemisphere of the brain processes visual images from the right-hand side of space, or the right visual field, and the right hemisphere processes visual images from the left-hand side of space, or the left visual field.
    • This allows the visual cortex to receive the same visual field from both eyes.
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