NEU 101 Notes - Vision and Audition

A comprehensive set of 250 vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts and terminology from NEU 101 lecture notes on vision and audition.

Reflected

Light that bounces off the surface of an object.

Absorbed

Light that is taken in by an object and not reflected.

Transmitted

Light that passes through an object.

Additive Color Mixing

Combining different colors of light, resulting in more wavelengths.

Subtractive Color Mixing

Mixing paints that absorb light, resulting in fewer wavelengths.

Aperture

The opening of a camera or eye that lets in light.

Crisper Images

Images produced by smaller apertures leading to sharper focus.

Blurry Images

Images produced by larger apertures leading to less sharpness.

Cornea

The transparent front part of the eye that helps focus light.

Lens

The transparent structure in the eye that helps to focus light.

Ciliary Muscle

A muscle that adjusts the lens for focusing.

Dilation

The process of the pupil expanding to allow more light in.

Constriction

The process of the pupil shrinking to allow less light in.

Pupillary Light Reflex

The automatic adjustment of pupil size to changes in light.

Retina

The layer at the back of the eye containing visual receptor cells.

Rods

Photoreceptor cells sensitive to low light levels.

Cones

Photoreceptor cells responsible for color vision and detail.

Macula

The center part of the retina rich in cone receptors.

Fovea

The center of the macula, where visual acuity is highest.

Optic Nerve

The nerve that transmits visual information from the retina to the brain.

Blind Spot

The area in the retina without photoreceptors, where the optic nerve exits.

Graded Potentials

Changes in membrane potential that can vary in size.

Dark Current

The flow of ions in photoreceptors in the dark, leading to transmitter release.

Isomerization

The process of visual pigments changing shape when exposed to light.

Sensitivity

The ability to detect small amounts of a stimulus.

Acuity

The ability to perceive small details.

Convergence

The process where multiple neurons synapse onto a single neuron.

Ganglion Cells

Retinal cells that transmit visual information to the brain.

Temporal Hemiretina

The area of the retina that processes information from the outer visual field.

Nasal Hemiretina

The area of the retina that processes information from the inner visual field.

LGN

Lateral Geniculate Nucleus, a relay center in the thalamus for visual information.

Magnocellular Cells

Ganglion cells that process motion and changes in light.

Parvocellular Cells

Ganglion cells that process color and fine detail.

Retinotopic Organization

The mapping of visual input from the retina to neurons in the brain.

Tonotopic Organization

The arrangement of neurons in the auditory system according to frequency.

Basilar Membrane

The membrane in the cochlea that vibrates in response to sound waves.

Organ of Corti

The sensory organ in the cochlea that contains hair cells.

Stereocilia

Hair-like structures on hair cells that bend and initiate the transduction of sound.

Place Coding

Theory that different frequencies of sound are processed in different locations along the basilar membrane.

Temporal Coding

Theory that sound frequencies are encoded by the timing of neuronal firing.

Ossicles

The three small bones in the middle ear (malleus, incus, stapes) that transmit sound vibrations.

Sensory Receptors

Specialized cells that transduce environmental stimuli into neural signals.

Cochlear Nucleus

The first brainstem nucleus at which auditory information is processed.

Superior Olivary Complex

A brainstem region involved in localizing sound sources.

Medial Geniculate Nucleus

A thalamic nucleus that relays auditory information to the primary auditory cortex.

Pinna

The outer part of the ear that collects sound.

Tympanic Membrane

The eardrum which transmits sound vibrations to the ossicles.

Decibels (dB)

A unit of measurement for sound intensity.

Frequency

The pitch of a sound, measured in Hertz (Hz).

Amplitude

The loudness of a sound, measured in decibels.

Chemical Senses

The sensory systems for taste and smell.

Olfactory Bulb

The brain structure that processes smells.

Papillae

Structures on the tongue that contain taste buds.

Taste Buds

Sensory organs that contain taste receptor cells.

Umami

A basic taste quality associated with amino acids.

Flavors

The combination of taste and smell sensations.

Proust Effect

The phenomenon where smells trigger vivid memories.

Somatosensation

The sense of touch, including temperature and pain.

Visual Receptor Cells

Cells in the retina that respond to light.

Light Wave

A disturbance of electromagnetic energy that is perceived as light.

Ciliary Muscle Function

Adjusts the curvature of the lens to focus on objects.

Axon

The long, thin structure of a neuron that transmits impulses.

Neural Signals

Electrical impulses that carry information in the nervous system.

Cone Cells

Cells in the retina that detect color and function best in bright light.

Rod Cells

Cells in the retina that detect low light levels and peripheral vision.

Photoreceptor

A cell that responds to light and converts it into neural signals.

Visual Pathway

The route that visual information takes from the eye to the brain.

Auditory Pathway

The route that sound information takes from the ear to the brain.

Emotion and Smell

The powerful connection between odors and emotional memory.

Taste Preferences

Variations in taste perception and enjoyment across individuals.

Auditory Cortex

The area of the brain responsible for processing sound information.

Neural Plasticity

The brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections.

Brain Areas for Vision

Regions in the brain responsible for processing visual information.

Neurons

The specialized cells of the nervous system that transmit signals.

Action Potentials

Rapid electrical impulses that are used for communication between neurons.

Center-Surround Receptive Fields

Neuronal receptive fields that have opposing center and surround responses.

Graded Synapses

Weak connections between neurons that can vary in strength.

Electrochemical Signals

Signals that involve electrical impulses and chemical neurotransmitters.

Tonotopic Encoding

The organization of the auditory system that reflects sound frequency.

Cochlear Partition

A structure in the cochlea that separates fluid-filled chambers.

Temporal Lobe

The brain region involved in processing auditory information.

Acoustic Reflex

An involuntary muscle contraction in response to loud sounds.

Volleys

Groups of neurons firing in sequence to encode higher frequency sounds.

Molecular Features

Characteristics of odorants that affect olfactory processing.

Auditory Hair Cells

Cells within the cochlea that convert sound vibrations into signals.

Flavor Perception

The experience of taste combined with smell and other senses.

Neurotransmitters

Chemical messengers that transmit signals between neurons.

Neural Connections

Links between neurons that enable communication.

Glomeruli

Clusters of neurons in the olfactory bulb where receptor cells synapse.

Sensation vs. Perception

The difference between raw sensory input and how we interpret it.

Temporal Hemiretina

The part of the retina that processes information from the outer visual field.

Nasal Hemiretina

The part of the retina that processes information from the inner visual field.

Ganglion Cell Types

Different neurons in the retina that relay information to the brain.

Ocular Dominance Columns

Vertical columns in the visual cortex that process information from one eye.

Primary Visual Cortex (V1)

The first area of the cortex to process visual information.

Lower Visual Pathways

Paths in the brain responsible for processing motion and locations.

Higher Visual Pathways

Paths in the brain responsible for object recognition and perception.

Cognitive Factors in Taste

The mental influences that affect how we perceive flavors.

Emotional Memories

Strong recollections triggered by specific smells or tastes.

Multimodal Flavor

The combination of taste, smell, and other sensory inputs to create flavor.