Sensitization

Priming

when exposure to a stimulus biases future behaviors, often without conscious processing of the stimulus

Primary Somatosensory Cortex S1

Input from each sense is relayed to specialized sensory cortex Each neuron within has a distinct receptive field (organized into maps)

Habituation - Sensitization over time

More exposures over a longer period of time lead to more permanent effects(found in animal kingdom)

Long term sensitization

New sensory motor synapses are added- Relatively permanent

Common Characteristics of Sensitiziation

Noxious(painful) stimuli work better than weak, More generalization less stimulus specificity, and can develop with just a single noxious stimulus

Cortical Plasticity

Receptive fields of neurons of the sensory cortex change (grow/shrink) due to development or expierence

Mechanics of Sensitization in Aplysia

Serotonin modulates sensory neurons to release more transmitters on the next activation.

What is Sensitization

The Increase in the strength or occurrence of a behavior due to exposure to an arousing or noxious stimulus

Dishabituation

change in habituated stimulus (Alarm)

Habituation and Sensitization cause

opposing changes in synapse function (depression vs. facilitation), causing weakening vs strengthening of reflex circuits

Perceptual Learning

repeated experiences with a set of stimuli improve ability to distinguish those stimuli.

Desensitization

repeated safe exposure (dog phobia)