How many Senses Do Humans Use?

We Definitely Use More Than Five

Everyone knows that we have the five senses of sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell. What if I told you that we have other senses? These five senses of human theory was suggested by philosopher Aristotle before 322 B.B.E. That was a long, long time ago and we have learned many things about the human body since then. We know that we have a nervous system that has many nerves that connects our body with the environment or control our body; therefore, it is probable that we have other senses that we do not think about.

The nervous system consists of nerves, brain, spinal cord, and sensory organs. The brain and spinal cord form the central nervous system and is the control center. Outside the central nervous system but managed by the control center is the peripheral nervous system consisting of the cranial and spinal nerves and sensory receptors), the somatic nervous system that houses voluntary efferent neurons, and the autonomic nervous system that houses involuntary efferent neurons. There are three types of nerves or neurons. Afferent or sensory nerves transmit signals from the body to the brain. Efferent neurons or motor neurons relay signals from the central nervous system to effectors in the body to cause an action. Last, interneurons are complex networks within the central nervous system that serve as a relay station between efferent and afferent neurons.

When nurses and doctors do neurological checks on patients, we check twelve cranial nerves that include the five senses but other senses as well. Healthcare providers, like speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy, focus on other senses.

Lesser-Known Senses in Humans

1. Equilibrioception(vestibular sense): Refers to the sense of balance and orientation in the space around us. It provides us with unconscious information of the movement and position of the head as it relates to gravity and provides us with the ability to detect rotation and linear acceleration or deceleration. These nerves go to the part of the brain that control eye movement, head in the cerebellum.¹

2. Proprioception: Refers to senses pertaining to position, location, orientation, and movement of muscles and joints which can be conscious movements due to nerve impulses in the cerebrum or unconscious movements that stem from the cerebellum. Impairment of proprioception occurs during periods of quick growth like in adolescence (clumsiness), when there is a large increase or decrease in bodyweight or size due to fluctuations of fat and muscle size, and when you are tired.¹

3. Interoception: Internal signals that provide us with an idea of how our internal organs are feeling and is initiated with the autonomic nervous system. Signals from organs include feelings of pain, temperature, itching, hunger, thirst, oxygen need, muscle feelings, organ sensations and vasomotor activity. Also attributed to interoception are feelings of well-being, energy, and stress.¹

4. Kinaesthesia: Pertains to the sense of movement as related to nerve impulses to muscles, but not joints.

5. Nociception: Nerve impulses derive from the autonomic nervous system that detects pain and other noxious stimuli that signal impending harm.

6. Chronoception: Refers to the individuals perception of the passing of time which includes the perceived duration of time between events. Most parents experience this with small children who cannot tell time and asks questions like when can we go out to play. Parents may give them a reference for time like, after naptime you can go out to play.

The reason I wrote lesser-known senses of humans is because animals have senses that humans do not or that we do not know that we have.

Senses Animals Have that Humans Do not

1. Electrocepton: Predatory animals such as sharks and sting rays have organs called ampullae of Lorenzini in their skin that allows them the ability to detect electrical fields that may be emitted by other their prey.

2. Magnetorectpion: The Earth’s magnetic field is used by animals like sea turtles, birds, wolves, bats and butterflies to navigate.

3. Infrared and Ultraviolent light: Insects, birds, rattlesnakes have infrared eyes that allow them so see images that emit heat at night. Other animals like the eagle, hedgehog and shrimp have ultraviolet light ability.

There are a lot of things that animals can sense that humans cannot. Maybe we can to a lesser degree.

¹ Your 8 senses. Available at https://sensoryhealth.org/basic/your-8-senses

² Humans have more than 5 senses. Online at https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/01/humans-

have-more-than-5-senses/