In our article we will consider what an analyzer is. A person receives information from the environment every second. He is so used to it that he does not even think about the mechanisms of its receipt, analysis, and the formation of the response. It turns out that complex systems are responsible for the implementation of this function.
What is an analyzer?
Systems that provide information about changes in the environment and the internal state of the body are called sensory. This term comes from the Latin word "sensus", which means "sensation". The second name for such structures is analyzers. It also reflects the main function.
What is an analyzer? This is a system that provides the perception of various types of energy, their conversion into nerve impulses and entry into the corresponding centers of the cortex.
Types of analyzers
Despite the fact that a person constantly encounters a whole gamut of sensations, there are only five sensory systems. The sixth sense is often called intuition - the ability to act without a logical explanation and to foresee the future.
The structure and functions of the visual analyzer make it possible to perceive about 90% of environmental information with its help. This is an image of individual objects, their shape, color, size, distance to them, movement and location in space.
Hearing is important for communication and the transfer of experience. We perceive various sounds due to air vibrations. The auditory analyzer converts their mechanical energy into a nerve impulse, which is perceived by the brain.
The taste analyzer is capable of perceiving solutions of chemicals. The sensations that it forms are individual. The same can be said of olfactory sensory. The sense of smell is based on the perception of chemical stimuli of the internal and external environment.
The final analyzer is touch. With the help of it, a person is able to feel not only the touch itself, but also pain, and temperature changes.
General building plan
Now let's understand what an analyzer is from an anatomical point of view. Any sensory system consists of three departments: peripheral, conductor and central. The first is represented by receptors. This is the beginning of any analyzer. These sensitive formations perceive various types of energy. The rods and cones of the eye are irritated in the light. The olfactory and gustatory analyzer contain chemoreceptors. The hair cells of the inner ear convert the mechanical energy of vibrational movements into electrical energy. The tactile system is especially rich in receptors. They perceive vibration, touch, pressure, pain, cold and heat.
The conductor section consists of nerve fibers. According to the numerous processes of neurons, impulses are transmitted from the working organs to the cerebral cortex. The latter is the central department of sensory systems. The bark has a high level of specialization. It distinguishes the motor, olfactory, taste, visual, auditory zone. Depending on the type of analyzer, a neuron in the conductor section delivers nerve impulses to a specific section.
Analyzer Adaptation
It seems to us that we perceive absolutely all signals from the environment. Scientists say the opposite. If that were the case, the brain would wear out much faster. The result is premature aging.
An important property of analyzers is their ability to adapt the level of action of the stimulus. This property is called adaptation.
If the sunlight is very intense, the pupil of the eye narrows. So the protective reaction of the body is manifested. And the lens of the eye is able to change its curvature. As a result, we can consider objects that are located at different distances. This ability of the visual analyzer is called accommodation.
A person is able to perceive sound waves only with a certain value of oscillations: 16-20 thousand Hz. It turns out we don’t hear much. A frequency below 16 Hz is called infrasound. With it, jellyfish learn about the approaching storm. Ultrasound refers to a frequency above 20 kHz. Although a person does not hear him, such vibrations can penetrate deep into the tissue. On special devices using ultrasound, you can get pictures of internal organs.
Compensatory ability
Many people experience disorders of certain sensory systems. The reasons for this can be both congenital and acquired. Moreover, if at least one of the departments is damaged, the entire analyzer ceases to function.
The body does not have internal reserves for its restoration. But one system can compensate for another. For example, blind people read by touch. Scientists have found that they hear much better than sighted people.
So what is an analyzer? This is a system that provides the perception of various types of energy from the environment, their conversion, analysis and the formation of the corresponding sensations or reactions.