Editing Sensory neuron (section)

==== Mechanoreceptors ====
{{main|Mechanoreceptor}}
{{further|Mechanosensation}}

Mechanoreceptors are sensory receptors which respond to mechanical forces, such as [[pressure]] or [[distortion]].<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Winter R, Harrar V, Gozdzik M, Harris LR |title=The relative timing of active and passive touch |journal=Brain Res |volume=1242 |issue= |pages=54–8 |date=November 2008 |pmid=18634764 |doi=10.1016/j.brainres.2008.06.090 }}</ref>

Specialized sensory receptor cells called mechanoreceptors often encapsulate afferent fibers to help tune the afferent fibers to the different types of somatic stimulation. Mechanoreceptors also help lower thresholds for action potential generation in afferent fibers and thus make them more likely to fire in the presence of sensory stimulation.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Neuroscience|url=https://archive.org/details/neuroscienceissu00purv|url-access=limited|last1=Purves|first1=Dale|last2=Augustine|first2=George|last3=Fitzpatrick|first3=David|last4=Hall|first4=William|last5=LaMantia|first5=Anthony-Samuel|last6=McNamara|first6=James|last7=White|first7=Leonard|publisher=Sinauer Associates, Inc.|year=2008|isbn=978-0878936977|edition=4th|pages=[https://archive.org/details/neuroscienceissu00purv/page/n234 209]}}</ref>

Some types of mechanoreceptors fire action potentials when their membranes are physically stretched.

[[Proprioceptors]] are another type of mechanoreceptors which literally means "receptors for self". These receptors provide spatial information about limbs and other body parts.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Neuroscience|url=https://archive.org/details/neuroscienceissu00purv|url-access=limited|last1=Purves|first1=Dale|last2=Augustine|first2=George|last3=Fitzpatrick|first3=David|last4=Hall|first4=William|last5=LaMantia|first5=Anthony-Samuel|last6=McNamara|first6=James|last7=White|first7=Leonard|publisher=Sinauer Associates|year=2008|isbn=978-0878936977|edition=4th|pages=[https://archive.org/details/neuroscienceissu00purv/page/n240 215]–216}}</ref>

[[Nociceptors]] are responsible for processing pain and temperature changes. The burning pain and irritation experienced after eating a chili pepper (due to its main ingredient, capsaicin), the cold sensation experienced after ingesting a chemical such as menthol or icillin, as well as the common sensation of pain are all a result of neurons with these receptors.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last1=Lee|first1=Y|last2=Lee|first2=C|last3=Oh|first3=U|year=2005|title=Painful channels in sensory neurons|journal=Molecules and Cells|volume=20|issue=3|pages=315–324|doi=10.1016/S1016-8478(23)25242-5|pmid=16404144|doi-access=free}}</ref>

Problems with mechanoreceptors lead to disorders such as:
# [[Neuropathic pain]] - a severe pain condition resulting from a damaged sensory nerve <ref name=":0" />
# [[Hyperalgesia]] - an increased sensitivity to pain caused by sensory ion channel, [[TRPM8]], which is typically responds to temperatures between 23 and 26 degrees, and provides the cooling sensation associated with menthol and icillin <ref name=":0" />
# [[Phantom limb syndrome]] - a sensory system disorder where pain or movement is experienced in a limb that does not exist <ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Halligan|first1=Peter W|last2=Zeman|first2=Adam|last3=Berger|first3=Abi|date=1999-09-04|title=Phantoms in the brain|journal=BMJ: British Medical Journal|volume=319|issue=7210|pages=587–588|doi=10.1136/bmj.319.7210.587|issn=0959-8138|pmc=1116476|pmid=10473458}}</ref>