ch 6- hearing and other senses
what is meant by a "tonotopic map"?
Each location in the auditory cortex responds to a preferred tone, and these areas are arranged in order from low pitches to high pitches.
Why is it important for sound vibrations to be amplified as they pass through the ear?
More force is needed to create waves in fluid.
where are the auditory receptors, known as hair cells?
along a membrane of the cochlea
Infections or bone growth that prevent the middle ear from transmitting sounds properly to the cochlea produce which type of deafness?
conductive deafness
Meissner's corpuscles are ____.
elaborate neuron endings for touch
Which brain abnormality has been demonstrated in people with amusia?
fewer than average axons connect the auditory cortex to the frontal cortex
the frequency theory of pitch perception applies to what type of sound?
low-frequency sounds, up to about 100 Hz
Absolute pitch is more common among what type of people?
people with extensive musical training beginning in early childhood
what happens to people after damage to the primary auditory cortex?
they can identify and localize simple sounds, but they cannot understand speech or enjoy music
Three small bones connect the tympanic membrane to the oval window. What is the function of these bones?
They convert airwaves into waves of greater pressure.
In adult humans, the taste buds are ____.
concentrated along the outside edge of the tongue
Perception of a low tone is to ____ as perception of a high tone is to ____.
frequency theory; place theory
Itching is primarily the result of ____.
histamine release
Conductive deafness is also known as ____.
middle ear deafness
Morphine and other opiate drugs decrease sensitivity to pain by ____.
mimicking the effects of endorphins at the synapses
Patients with damage in area MT have problems with perception of ____.
movement of objects and sounds
Olfactory receptors carry their message to the ____.
olfactory bulb
Where are the auditory receptor cells located?
on the basilar membrane
The brain chemicals known as endorphins produce effects similar to which substance?
opiates
Somatosensory information travels from the thalamus to which area of the cortex?
parietal lobe
The structure that we commonly refer to as the ear (on the outside of the head) is formally known as the ____.
pinna
In the otolith organs, the otoliths are calcium carbonate particles that ____.
push against hair cells when moved
What kind of receptors detect pain, warmth, and cold?
somatosensory
The sensory aspect of pain activates the ____ cortex, whereas the emotional aspect activates the ____ cortex.
somatosensory; cingulate
To what lobe of the cerebral cortex is auditory information sent?
temporal
The eardrum vibrates at ____.
the same frequency as the sound waves that hit it
Which ability would be most impaired with damage to the vestibular senses?
visually tracking an object while dancing
The current view of how we perceive high frequencies is based on ____.
where along the basilar membrane neurons fire most rapidly
