Neuro 2000 Auditory Perception/Sensation

Question 1

Explain what sensation is.

Answer 1

detection of an enviornmental stimuli
(ex; smelling brownies)

Question 2

Explain what perception is.

Answer 2

awareness of what we sense

Question 3

Give the order of the sensory pathway.

Answer 3

sensory receptor cells -> thalamus ->
primary sensory cortex

Question 4

Explain the function of the thalamus.

Answer 4

all senses processed through the thalamus before being sent via cerebral cortex for interpretation. plays a role in
-sleep
-wakefulness
-consciousness (alert)
-cognition (forming storage of memories, sexual arousal, learning)

the doctor that diagnoses the problem

Question 4

Explain the process of transduction.

Answer 4

converts a sensory signal/energy (photon, sound wave) into an electrical impulse for it to be interpreted by the brain.

Question 5

Explain what sensory receptor cells (exteroceptors) are.

Answer 5

AFFERENT neurons that detect enviornmental stimuli (ex; pain) that is transformmed into neural impulses to be transmitted to the CNS through transduction.

Question 6

Explain the function of the primary sensory cortex.

Answer 6

-percieve touch
-percieve pressure
-percieve pain
-percieve temperature

Question 7

Explain the function of an accessory pathway

Answer 7

a path way that involuntary/reflective stimuli go through

Question 7

pressure over distance

Answer 7

points of compressed and uncompressed air

Question 7

Explain what sound is.

Answer 7

wave of mechanical energy that travels through air/any medium (molecules bump into each other to push each other along)

Question 8

low frequency

Answer 8

less often/low pitch

Question 9

Explain the function of hair cells.

Answer 9

specialized auditory receptor neurons embedded in the basilar membrane BART SIMPSON.
-converts mechanical energy into electrical energy

Question 10

high frequency

Answer 10

more often/high pitch

Question 10

low intensity

Answer 10

low volume

Question 11

What is the hertz range for humans?

Answer 11

20-20,000 hertz

Question 12

high intensity

Answer 12

high volume

Question 13

Explain the function of ossicles.

Answer 13

a trio of bones that transfers vibrations or sound waves from the outer ear to the inner ear for auditory transduction.

Question 13

What three bones make up the ossicles?

Answer 13

malleus (hammer)
incus (anvil)
stapes (stirrup)

Question 14

Explain what the malleus contains.

Answer 14

contains a head, neck, and handle (manubrium) lateral process, anterior process

Question 14

Explain what the incus contains.

Answer 14

short limb - stability
long limb

Question 15

What is contained in the outer ear?

Answer 15

-pinna
-auditory canal

Question 16

Explain what the stapes contains.

Answer 16

-capitulum
-base
-anterior limbs
-posterior limbs

Question 16

Explain the function of the basilar membrane.

Answer 16

-holds the auditory receptors (hair cells)
-serves as base layer of the organ of Corti
-propagates sound vibrations that allow the brain to interpret sound

Question 17

Explain the function of the pinna.

Answer 17

-collects sound waves
-directs sound waves

Question 17

Explain the function of the eustachian tube.

Answer 17

A narrow tube between the middle ear and the throat.
– equalize air pressure on both sides of the eardrum

Question 17

Explain the function of the auditory canal

Answer 17

-amplify sounds

Question 18

Explain the function of the cochlea

Answer 18

-transforms sound waves into electrical impulses so the brain can interpret as sound frequencies

Question 18

What is contained in the inner ear?

Answer 18

cochlea
semicircular canals

Question 19

Explain the function of the stereocilia.

Answer 19

make up the individual ‘hairs’ of the hair cell. when bended, converts physical force from sound, head movement, or gravity into an electrical signal.

Question 20

Explain the process of mechanoelectrical transduction.

Answer 20

converts sound, gravity, or head movement into electrical signals

process is conducted in hair cells at the tip of the stereocilia

Question 21

Explain the function of the tectorial membrane.

Answer 21

-reinforce traveling waves
-corrects auditory representation of the soiund
-a shelf against which the cilia of the auditory hair cells move

Question 22

Explain the function and appearance of the tympanic membrane.

Answer 22

thin, oval-shaped membrane
-separates the outer ear from the middle ear
-causes vibration when sound waves reach the TM

Question 23

Explain the steps to sound conduction.

Answer 23

1) mechanical energy wave in air
2) this wave hits the pinna and is reflected/funneled into the auditory canal
3) waves hit the tympanic membrane which vibrates at the frequency of sound
4) this causes ossicles to vibrate (first the hammer (malleus) then the anvil (incus) then the steric (stapes)
5) this causes the steric to move in and out of the cochlea through the oval window
6) this recreates the waves from the air in the liquid of the cochlea
7) inside of the cochlea the basilar membrane begins to vibrate (base vibrates in a high frequency and apex vibrates in a low frequency)

Question 24

Explain the function of the TRPA1.

Answer 24

ion channel (mechanically gated potassium channel) is on tips of stereocillia

there is high potassium outside so it will move in causing depolarization

the process of the docking proteins on vesicles getting pulled and releasing neurotransmitters alerts the rest of the nervous system the sound wave

Question 25

Explain the steps to perception of sound.

Answer 25

1) sensory receptor cells (hair cells) sense sound inside cochlea
2) spiral ganglion neurons gain synaptic connection from hair cells
3) this connects to auditory neuron that goes to the cochlear nucleus (in pons)
4) this goes to the superior olivary nucleus (inside pons) job = localization of sound
5) this goes to the inferior colliculus in the midbrain (reflexive orientation to a novel auditory stimulus)
axons will connect to the superior colliculus that connects to motor neurons for head/neck/eyes which connect to muscle cells which is why we look at sudden stimulus
6) this connects to medial geniculate nucleus inside thalamus and this modulates attention to sound
7) this goes to primary auditory cortex (found in temporal cortex)
8) auditory info from auditory cortex and visual info from the visual cortex put together in association cortex (specifically wernicke’s area in the temporal cortex to help us understand meaning of words)

** hair cells die over time

Question 26

back of auditory cortex

Answer 26

high frequency sounds

Question 27

front of auditory cortex

Answer 27

lower frequency sounds

Question 28

What happens when the basilar membrane vibrates?

Answer 28

1. Movement of the hair cells and their sterocilia occurs,
2. opening up ion channels
3. causes the release of neurotransmitters to propagate the auditory signal to the vestibulocochlear neerve
4. then carries the information regarding the auditory stimulus to the brain to be analyzed and percieved.

Question 29

Explain the process of mechanoelectrical transduction (MET).

Answer 29

hair cells in the inner ear convert mechanical vibrations into electrical signals that allow us to hear.

Question 30

Explain the function of the association cortex.

Answer 30

recieves information from multiple primary sensory cortices forming the basis for cognition.
in the cerebral cortex
different pieces of info –> spatial relationships (cognitive pathway)

Question 31

Explain what spatial relationships are.

Answer 31

the ability to recognize and visualize
-shapes
-objects
-determines how they relate to one another

Question 32

Where are spatial relationships processed?

Answer 32

CATEGORICAL in the left hemisphere
COORDINATE in the right hemisphere