Definition

1. Noun:
   • A nerve that carries signals from sensory receptors toward the central nervous system: A "sensory nerve" is a bundle of nerve fibers (an axon pathway) that transmits information from sensory organs (like the skin, eyes, ears) to the brain or spinal cord. It carries impulses related to sensations such as touch, pain, temperature, and proprioception.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The doctor tested the function of the sensory nerve in my fingertip.
  • Damage to a sensory nerve can result in numbness or a loss of feeling.
  • Pain signals travel to the brain via sensory nerves.

Advanced Usage

• In neurological contexts: The term is often used to distinguish neural pathways from "motor nerves," which carry commands from the central nervous system to muscles.
  • The reflex arc involves both a sensory nerve and a motor nerve.
• In clinical diagnosis: Used to describe conditions or tests.
  • The patient underwent sensory nerve conduction studies.

Variants and Related Words

• Afferent nerve: A more technical synonym for "sensory nerve," emphasizing the direction of signal transmission the CNS.
• Sensory neuron: Refers to the individual nerve cell that is part of a sensory nerve pathway. A sensory nerve contains the axons of many sensory neurons.
• Sensory receptor: The specialized structure (e.g., in skin, eyes) that detects stimuli and initiates the signal carried by the sensory nerve.

Synonyms

• Afferent nerve: (Technical) A nerve carrying impulses inward to the central nervous system.
• Afferent pathway: The route taken by sensory information.

Related Phrases

• Sensory nerve fiber: The individual axon within a sensory nerve.
• Sensory nerve ending: The terminal structure of a sensory nerve fiber that is often associated with a receptor.

Noun

1. a nerve that passes impulses from receptors toward or to the central nervous system