Chemical and Bodily Sensory Systems and Auditory Perception

Flashcards covering chemical and bodily sensory systems (touch, pain, taste, smell, kinesthetic, vestibular) and auditory systems (pitch perception and hearing loss).

Gate Control Theory

A theory stating that non-painful sensory input can dampen or block painful sensations from reaching the brain.

Phantom Limb

The ability to feel sensations, and even pain, in a limb or limbs that no longer exist.

Vestibular Sense

A sensory system that enables the maintenance of balance in part, controlled by the semicircular canals which contain receptors.

Kinesthetic Sense

A sensory system that enables control and coordination over movements, including walking, talking, facial expression, gestures, and posture.

Olfaction

The sense of smell, which is unique because it does not go through the thalamus and has a strong attachment to memory.

Pheromones

Chemical signals associated with the olfactory system.

Gustation

The sense of taste, which encompasses flavors such as sour, bitter, umami, and oleogustus, and interacts with the sense of smell.

Supertaster

A classification of tasting ability characterized by having dense and more taste buds.

Medium taster

A classification of tasting ability characterized by having a normal density of taste buds.

Nontaster

A classification of tasting ability characterized by having taste buds that are not as dense and not as many in number.

Wavelength

The distance from the peak of one wave to the peak of another wave.

Amplitude

The height of a wave, measured from the baseline or trough to a peak.

Place theory

A pitch perception theory stating that we hear different pitches because different sound waves trigger activity at different places along the cochlea's basilar membrane.

Volley theory

A pitch perception theory stating that neural cells work together by alternating when they fire in rapid succession to achieve a combined frequency above $1000$ waves per second.

Frequency theory

A pitch perception theory stating that we hear different pitches because different sound waves trigger neural impulses to the brain at the same rate as the sound wave.

Conduction Deafness

Hearing loss resulting from damage to the middle ear, such as its mechanical system or bones, or blockages in the ear canal.

Sensorineural Deafness

Hearing loss resulting from damage to the cochlea's hair cell receptors or the neural supply of the auditory nerve.

sound localization

The ability to determine the origin of a sound in space based on auditory cues from both ears. It involves the processing of time and intensity differences to locate sounds accurately.