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Glite Dictionary
sensory neuron

sensory neuron

4.5
A nerve cell that sends signals from the body to the brain or spinal cord
  • noun
  • /ˈsɛn.sə.ri ˈnjʊ.rɒn/
  • Specialized
translation icon : neurona sensorial
  • No, the secondary sensory neuron is in the CNS.

And here's what it is The brain itself, meaning the brain tissue, does not have any sensory neurons.

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Examples

  • The sensory neuron in your fingertip helps you feel the texture of different surfaces.

  • We must determine whether secondary sensory neurons in the nociceptive pathway, located post-synaptic to primary sensory cells, exhibit altered expression of sodium channel genes in chronic pain states.

    Academic text (2000)

  • You have neurons in your spinal cord that are sensory neurons that are sensing the amount of stretch in the muscles.

    Andrew Huberman

  • Each sensory neuron in the olfactory system generally produces just one of the many olfactory receptor proteins.

    Academic text (2006)

  • When the sensory neuron detects heat, it sends a signal to the brain to warn you of potential burns.

  • Each sensory neuron carries important signals about sounds and sights to your brain.

Synonyms

afferent neuron
vssensory neuron
  • Specialized
7.2

A nerve cell that carries sensory signals to the brain or spinal cord

focuses on impulses coming from sensory receptors rather than peripheral sources

How Specialized

motor neuron
  • Specialized
2 3.9
sensory neuron
  • Specialized
4.5
nerve cell
  • Specialized
15 3.4
cell organ
  • Specialized
4.0
cell
  • Specialized
917 2.1

Surface Forms

sensory neuron singular
sensory neurons plural

Morphology

sensory + neuron

The meaning 'a nerve cell that carries impulses from sensory receptors toward the brain or spinal cord' is directly and compositionally derived from 'sensory' (relating to senses or conveying sensory signals) + 'neuron' (a nerve cell transmitting impulses). This compound follows a regular noun-noun composition pattern common across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents should readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Sensory neuron joins sensory (about the 'senses') and neuron (a nerve cell). Imagine a tiny messenger that carries a quick signal from your skin or eyes 'toward the brain or spinal cord', so the name exactly describes its job.