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Sensation & Perception > Chapter 9- Hearing: Physiology and Psychoacoustics > Flashcards

Chapter 9- Hearing: Physiology and Psychoacoustics Flashcards

1
Q

Amplitude (Intensity)

A

In reference to sound, the magnitude of displacement (increase or decrease) of a pressure wave. Amplitude is perceived as loudness.

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2
Q

Frequency

A

In reference to sound, the number of times per second that a pattern of pressure change repeats. Frequency is perceived as pitch.

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3
Q

Hertz (Hz)

A

A unit of measure for frequency; 1 hertz equals 1 cycle per second.

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4
Q

Loudness

A

The psychological aspect of sound related to perceived intensity (amplitude).

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5
Q

Pitch

A

The psychological aspect of sound related mainly to the perceived frequency.

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6
Q

Decibel (dB)

A

A unit of measure for the physical intensity of sound. Decibels define the difference between two sounds are the ratio between two sound pressures. Each 10:1 sound pressure ratio equals 20 dB, and a 100:1 ratio equals 40 dB.

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7
Q

Since Wave (Pure Tone)

A

The single waveform for which variation as a function of time is a sine function. In hearing research, this is sometimes referred to as a pure tone.

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8
Q

Spectrum

A

A representation of the relative energy (intensity) present at each frequency.

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9
Q

Harmonic Spectrum

A

The spectrum of a complex sound in which energy is at integer multiples of the fundamental frequency.

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10
Q

Fundamental Frequency

A

The lowest-frequency component of a complex periodic sound.

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11
Q

Timbre

A

The psychological sensation by which a listener can judge that two sounds with the same loudness and pitch are dissimilar. Timbre quality is conveyed by harmonics and other high frequencies.

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12
Q

Pinna

A

The outer, funnel-like part of the ear.

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13
Q

Ear Canal

A

The canal that conducts sound vibrations from the pinna to the tympanic membrane and prevents damage to the tympanic membrane.

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14
Q

Outer Ear

A

The external sound-gathering portion of the ear, consisting of the pinna and the ear canal.

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15
Q

Tympanic Membrane

A

The eardrum; a thin sheet of skin at the end of the outer ear canal. The tympanic membrane vibrates in response to sound.

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16
Q

Middle Ear

A

An air-filled chamber containing the middle bones, or ossicles. The middle ear conveys and amplifies vibration from the tympanic membrane to the oval window.

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17
Q

Ossicle

A

Any of three tiny bones of the middle ear: malleus, incus, and stapes.

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18
Q

Malleus

A

The most exterior of the three ossicles. The malleus receives vibration from the tympanic membrane and is attached to the incus.

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19
Q

Incus

A

The middle of the three ossicles, connecting the malleus and the stapes.

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20
Q

Stapes

A

The most interior of the three ossicles. Connected ot the incus on one end, the stapes presses against the oval window of the cochlea on the other end.

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21
Q

Oval Window

A

The flexible opening to the cochlea through which the stapes transmits vibration to the fluid inside.

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22
Q

Inner Ear

A

A hollow cavity in the temporal bone of the skull, and the structures within this cavity: the cochlea and the semicircular canals of the vestibular system.

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23
Q

Tensor Tympani

A

The muscle attached to the malleus. Tensing the tensor tympani decreases vibration.

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24
Q

Stapedius

A

The muscle attached tot eh stapes. Tensing the stapedius decreases vibration.

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25
Q

Acoustic Reflex

A

A reflex that protects the ear from intense sounds, via contraction of the stapedius and tensor tympani muscles.

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26
Q

Cochlea

A

A spiral structure of the inner ear containing the organ of Corti.

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27
Q

Tympanic Canal

A

One of three fluid-filled passages in the cochlea. The tympanic canal extends from the round window at the base of the cochlea to the helicotrema at the apex. Also called scala tympani.

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28
Q

Vestibular Canal

A

One of three fluid-filled passages in the cochlea. The vestibular canal extends from the oval window at the base of the cochlea to the helicotrema at the apex. Also called scala vestibuli.

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29
Q

Middle Canal

A

One of three fluid-filled passages in the cochlea. The middle canal is sandwhiched between the tympanic and vestibular canals and contains the cochlear partition. Also called scala media.

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30
Q

Helicotrema

A

The opening that connects the tympanic and vestibular canals at the apex of the cochlea.

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31
Q

Stria Vascularis

A

Specialized tissue lines one side of the middle canal and maintains the right balance of charged ions in the endolymph to keep hair cells working at their best.

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32
Q

Reissner’s Membrane

A

A thin sheath of tissue separating the vestibular and middle canals in the cochlea.

33
Q

Basilar Membrane

A

A plate of fibers that forms the base of the cochlear partition and separates the middle and tympanic canals in the cochlea.

34
Q

Cochlear Partition

A

The combined basilar membrane, tectorial membrane, and organ of Corti, which are together responsible for the transduction of sound waves into neural signals.

35
Q

Round Window

A

A soft area of tissue at the base of the tympanic canal that releases excess pressure remaining from extremely intense sounds.

36
Q

Organ of Corti

A

A structure on the basilar membrane of the cochlea that is composed of hair cells and dendrites of auditory nerve fibers.

37
Q

Hair Cell

A

Any cell that has stereocilia for transducing mechanical movement in the inner ear into neural activity sent to the brain. Some hair cells also receive inputs from the brain.

38
Q

Auditory Nerve (AN)

A

A collection of neurons that convey information from hair cells in the cochlea to the brainstem (afferent neurons) and from the brainstem to the hair cells (efferent neurons).

39
Q

Stereocilium

A

Any of the hairlike extensions on the tips of hair cells in the cochlea that, when flexed, initiate the release of neurotransmitters.

40
Q

Tectorial Membrane

A

A gelatinous structure, attached on one end, that extends into the middle canal of the cochlea, floating above inner hair cells and touching outer hair cells.

41
Q

Tip Link

A

A tiny filament that stretches from the tip of a stereocilium to the side of its neighbor.

42
Q

Place Code

A

Tuning of different parts of the cochlea to different frequencies, in which information about the particular frequency of an incoming sound wave is coded by the place along the cochlear partition that has the greatest mechanical displacement.

43
Q

Afferent Fiber

A

A neuron that carries sensory information to the central nervous system.

44
Q

Efferent Fiber

A

A neuron that carries information from the central nervous system to the periphery.

45
Q

Threshold Tuning Curve

A

A graph plotting th thresholds of a neuron in response to sine waves with varying frequencies at the lowest intensity that will give rise to a response.

46
Q

Characteristic Frequency (CF)

A

The frequency to which a particular auditory nerve fiber is most sensitive.

47
Q

Electromotility

A

The ability of outer hair cells to extend and contract which changes the stiffness and sensitivity of the cochlear partition.

48
Q

Two-Tone Suppression

A

A decrease in the response (firing rate) of one auditory nerve fiber to one tone when a second tone is presented at the same time.

49
Q

Isointensity Curve

A

A map plotting the firing rate of an auditory nerve fiber against varying frequencies at varying intensities.

50
Q

Rate Saturation

A

The point at which a nerve fiber is firing as rapidly as possible and further stimulation is incapable of increasing the firing rate.

51
Q

Rate-Intensity Function

A

A graph plotting the firing rate of an auditory nerve fiber in response to a sound of constant frequency at increasing intensities.

52
Q

Low-Spontaneous Fiber

A

An auditory nerve fiber that has a low rate (less than 10 spikes per second) of spontaneous firing. Low-spontaneous fibers require relatively intense sound before they will fire at higher rates.

53
Q

High-Spontaneous Fiber

A

An auditory nerve fiber that has a high rate (more than 30 spikes per second) of spontaneous firing. High-spontaneous fibers increase their firing rate in response to relatively low levels of sound.

54
Q

Mid-Spontaneous Fiber

A

An auditory nerve fiber that has a medium rate (10-30 spikes per second) of spontaneous firing. The characteristics of mid-spontaneous fibers are intermediate between those of low-and high-spontaneous fibers.

55
Q

Phase Locking

A

Firing of a single neuron at one distinct point in the period (cycle) of a sound wave at a given frequency. (The neuron need not fire on every cycle, but each firing will occur at the same point in the cycle).

56
Q

Temporal Code

A

Tuning of different parts of the cochlea to different frequencies, in which information about the particular frequency of an incoming sound wave is coded by the timing of neural firing as it relates to the period of the sound.

57
Q

Volley Principle

A

The idea that multiple neurons can provide a temporal code for frequency if each neuron fires at a distinct point in the period of a sound wave but does not fire on every period.

58
Q

Cochlear Nucleus

A

The first brainstem nucleus at which afferent auditory nerve fibers synapse.

59
Q

Superior Olive

A

An early brainstem region in the auditory pathway where inputs from both ears converge.

60
Q

Inferior Colliculus

A

A midbrain nucleus in the auditory pathway.

61
Q

Medial Geniculate Nucleus

A

The part of the thalamus that relays auditory signals to the temporal cortex and receives input from the auditory cortex.

62
Q

Tonotopic Organization

A

An arrangement in which neurons that respond to different frequencies are organized anatomically in order of frequency.

63
Q

Primary Auditory Cortex (A1)

A

The first area within the temporal lobes of the brain responsible for processing acoustic information.

64
Q

Belt Area

A

A region of cortex, directly adjacent to the primary auditory cortex (A1), with inputs from A1, where neurons respond to more complex characteristics of sounds.

65
Q

Parabelt Area

A

A region of cortex, lateral and adjacent to the belt area, where neurons respond to more complex characteristics of sounds, as well as to input from other senses.

66
Q

Psychoacoustics

A

The branch of psychophysics that studies the psychological correlates of the physical dimensions of acoustics in order to understand how the auditory system operates.

67
Q

Audibility Threshold

A

The lowest sound pressure level that can be reliably detected at a given frequency.

68
Q

Equal-Loudness Curve

A

A graph plotting sound pressure level (dB SPL) against the frequency for which a listener perceives constant loudness.

69
Q

Temporal Integration

A

The process by which a sound at a constant level is perceived as being louder when it is of greater duration. The term also applies to perceived brightness, which depends on the duration of light.

70
Q

Masking

A

using a second sound, frequently noise, to make the detection of another sound more difficult.

71
Q

White Noise

A

Noise consisting of all audible frequencies in equal amounts. White noise in hearing is analogous to white light in vision, for which all wavelengths are present.

72
Q

Critical Bandwidth

A

The range of frequencies conveyed within a channel in the auditory system.

73
Q

Conductive Hearing Loss

A

Hearing loss caused by problems with the bones of the middle ear.

74
Q

Otitis Media

A

Inflammation of the middle ear, commonly in children as a result of infection.

75
Q

Otosclerosis

A

Abnormal growth of the middle-ear bones that causes hearing loss.

76
Q

Sensorineural Hearing Loss

A

hearing loss due to defects in the cochlea or auditory nerve.

77
Q

Metabolic Hearing Loss

A

Hearing loss caused by degraded ability of the stria vascularis to provide sufficient nutrients and ions to the cochlear partition.

78
Q

Presbycusis

A

Age-related hearing loss.

Sensation & Perception (14 decks)

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