Auditory & Somatosensory Flashcards
To what are the receptors in the auditory system sensitive?
Degrees of density of compressed air
What is the function of the tympanic membrane?
Vibrates with sound waves (compressed air that causes it to contract and expand; transmits to malleus, incus, and stapes
What are the malleus, incus, and stapes? What are the function?
Bones in the middle ear (the ossicles); vibrate against membrane in the cochlea
Where are auditory receptors located?
In the cochlea
What does the Organ of Corti do?
It sends auditory info to the brain via the cochlear nerve
What is the superior olivary complex?
Found in the medulla; where perception of sound location is processed
True or false: Auditory info projects unilaterally but is mostly bilateral?
False; auditory info projects bilaterally but is mostly contralateral
What is the belt region?
The first level of auditory association cortex; surrounds primary auditory cortex
What is the parabelt?
The highest level of auditory association cortex
What is tonotopic representation?
Preserved through the entire pathway all the way up to the auditory cortex
In the auditory cortex, more ___ means lower frequency sounds.
Anterior
In the auditory cortex, more _____ means higher frequency sounds.
Posterior
What is the core?
Primary auditory cortex; divided into 3 zones that receive input from 3 different areas of medial geniculate
What occurs with damage to primary auditory cortex?
Impairment in ability to discriminate rapidly occurring sounds; it does not produce deafness
What is the auditory posterior pathway?
The “where system”; projects to parietal area and mediates sound localization
What is the auditory anterior pathway?
The “what system”; projects to anterior temporal lobe and mediates analysis of complex sounds/sound identity
How does the brain discriminate the identity of multiple sounds?
Pattern recognition (occurs in primary and association auditory cortex); the brain makes patterns and directs these patterns to the relevant area of the association area to do the processing
What do fMRI studies show in terms of determining sound location and sound identity?
Determining sound location activates dorsal auditory association area; determining sound identity activates ventral auditory association area
What are cutaneous receptors?
Receive various signals from the sign that form the sense of touch; pressure, vibration, temperature, pain
What is kinesthesia?
Info about body position and movement (position of limbs, strength of movement, direction of movement); comes from receptors in the joints, tendons, and muscles
What is touch?
Involves the perception of pressure and vibration of an object on skin PLUS kinesthesia about the shape of your hand; i.e., these combined give you sensation of touch
What are the three perceptual/behavioral effects of pain?
Sensory component, immediate emotional response, long-term emotional consequences
Where is the sensory aspect of pain mediated?
Primary and secondary somatosensory cortex; painful stimuli also activate insula/insular cortex
Where is the emotional response to pain mediated?
Anterior cingulate (part of the limbic system); true particularly for aversiveness
What is analgesia?
A decrease in pain severity
What neural circuits in the brain produce analgesia?
Most found in periaqueductal gray; also medulla
What are the projections and connections to/with the periaqueductal gray?
Prefrontal lobes (emotional regulation, planning), amygdala (emotional memory), hypothalamus (control of autonomic ns); demonstrates the rx between emotional activation, pain, and analgesia
