hearing review questions

Amplitude

Corresponds to perceived loudness.

Frequency

Corresponds to perceived pitch.

Complexity

Corresponds to timbre or quality of sounds.

Decibels

Scale used to measure sound intensity.

Pain threshold in sound intensity

Experiences around 120-130 dB.

Range of human hearing frequencies

20 Hz - 20,000 Hz.

Infrasound

Sound below 20 Hz that can trigger the fight-or-flight response.

Order of auditory system structures

Pinna, Auditory Canal, Tympanic Membrane, Hammer, Anvil, Stirrup, Oval Window, Cochlea, Basilar Membrane, Auditory Nerve, Medulla, Inferior Colliculus, Medial Geniculate Nucleus, Primary Auditory Cortex, Dorsal and Ventral Streams.

Hair cells in the organ of Corti

Responsible for transducing sound waves into action potentials.

Basilar membrane response

Base responds to high frequencies; apex responds to low frequencies.

Primary auditory cortex

Differentiates sounds of different frequencies, with high frequencies processed anteriorly and low frequencies processed posteriorly.

Impacts of damage to primary auditory cortex

Impairments in sound perception, auditory localization, and language processing.

Wernicke's area impairment

Impairs understanding of spoken and written language.

Broca's area impairment

Impairment in forming grammatically correct sentences, resulting in slow, slurred speech.

Cochlear implant purpose

To help individuals with impaired hearing better perceive sounds.

Best candidates for cochlear implants

People with impaired hearing, particularly older adults or those born with hearing issues.

Hammer

A tiny bone (ossicle) in the ear that transmits and amplifies sound vibrations.

Anvil

A small bone in the ear that acts as a lever to transmit sound vibrations from the hammer to the stirrup.

Stirrup

The smallest bone in the human body, it transmits sound vibrations from the anvil to the oval window of the cochlea.

Trace the path of sound through the auditory system

Sound is processed in the following order: Pinna ➞ Auditory Canal ➞ Tympanic Membrane ➞ Hammer ➞ Anvil ➞ Stirrup ➞ Oval Window ➞ Cochlea ➞ Basilar Membrane ➞ Auditory Nerve ➞ Medulla ➞ Inferior Colliculus ➞ Medial Geniculate Nucleus ➞ Primary Auditory Cortex ➞ Dorsal and Ventral Streams.