thermic sense

ther·mo·es·the·si·a

(ther'mō-es-thē'zē-ă),

The ability to distinguish differences of temperature.

Synonym(s): temperature sense, thermal sense, thermic sense, thermesthesia

[thermo- + G. aisthēsis, sensation]

thermic sense

[thur′mik]

Etymology: Gk, thermē, heat; L, sentire, to feel

the network of sense organs and connecting pathways that allow an appreciation of temperature changes. Also called temperature sense.

sense

(sens) [L. sensus, a feeling]

1. To perceive through a sense organ.

2. The general faculty by which conditions outside or inside the body are perceived. The most important of the senses are sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch and pressure, temperature, weight, resistance and tension (muscle sense), pain, position, proprioception, visceral and sexual sensations, equilibrium, and hunger and thirst.

3. Any special faculty of sensation connected with a particular organ.

4. Normal power of understanding.

5. The ability of an artificial pacemaker to detect an electrically conducted signal produced by the heart, such as a P wave or QRS complex.

6. In nucleic acid chemistry, the strand of DNA whose nucleotide order codes for messenger RNA.

color sense

The ability to distinguish differences in color; one of the three parts of visual function.

form sense

The ability to recognize shapes; one of the three parts of visual function.

kinesthetic sense

The brain's awareness of the position of muscles, both moving and at rest. The sense may be conscious or unconscious.

Synonym: motor sense; muscular sense

light sense

One of the three parts of visual function, the other parts being color sense and form sense. It is tested by visual field examination.

See: color sense; form sense

motor sense

Kinesthetic sense.

muscular sense

Kinesthetic sense.

posture sense

Proprioception.

pressure sense

The ability to feel various degrees of pressure on the body surface. Synonym: baresthesia

space sense

The sense by which people recognize objects in space, their relationship, and their dimensions.

special senses

The senses of sight, touch, hearing, equilibrium, smell, and taste.

static sense

The sense that makes it possible to maintain equilibrium.

stereognostic sense

The ability to judge the consistency and shape of objects held in the fingers.

temperature sense

The ability to detect differences of temperature. The receptors for heat and cold are free nerve endings in the dermis; sensory impulses may be perceived by the thalamus as a poorly localized temperature sensation. The sensory area of the parietal lobe can localize the sensation much more precisely. Adaptation is fairly rapid unless the temperature is extreme. Synonym: thermal sense; thermesthesia; thermic sense

thermal sense

Temperature sense.

thermic sense

Temperature sense.

time sense

The ability to detect differences in time intervals.

tone sense

The ability to distinguish between different tones.

vibratory sense

The ability to perceive vibrations transmitted through the skin to deep tissues. It is usually tested by placing a vibrating tuning fork over bony prominences.

visceral sense

The subjective perception of the sensations of the internal organs.