sensory

Sensory refers to the physiological processes by which organisms perceive external and internal stimuli, including detection, transduction, and processing of information by specialized receptors and neural pathways.

The classic five senses—sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell—form the foundation of human perception. Beyond these, other modalities include proprioception (body position), the vestibular sense (balance and acceleration), interoception (internal states such as hunger or heartbeat), thermoreception, and nociception (pain). Many species possess additional senses such as electroreception or magnetoreception.

Sensory information is carried by specialized receptors that convert stimulus energy into neural signals (transduction). Signals travel through peripheral nerves to the brain, where initial processing occurs in primary sensory cortices, followed by higher‑order interpretation in association areas. The brain also integrates information across modalities to form a coherent percept.

Sensory processing involves attention, filtering, and perceptual organization. Multisensory integration enhances perception when inputs from different senses are congruent, and can be impaired when they conflict. Developmentally, sensory systems exhibit plasticity; experiences can shape sensitivity and mapping, with sensitive periods influencing later perception.

Dysfunctions of sensory processing can occur in medical and developmental contexts, such as sensory processing disorder, neuropathies, or sensory loss due to injury. Applications span neuroscience and psychology research, clinical rehabilitation, and sensory sciences in food, consumer products, and human–computer interfaces.