Auditory Science And Psychoacoustics

Front 1

What are the 3 cochlear ducts and what type of fluid is contained within each?

Back 1

Scala vestibuli and scala tympani contain perilymph; scala media contains endolymph

Front 2

What are the characteristics of the basilar membrane at the basilar end?

Back 2

Narrow, stiff, and under tension (high frequencies)

Front 3

What are the characteristics of the basilar membrane at the apical end?

Back 3

wide, flaccid, under no tension (low frequencies)

Front 4

Where is the endocochlear potential (EP) measured and what is the likely source?

Back 4

EP is measured in the scala media; the source is likely the stria vascularis

Front 5

Is the cochlear microphonic (CM) a resting or a stimulus-related potential? Where is its source?

Back 5

CM is a stimulus-related ptoential; source is the cilia end of the hair cells

Front 6

What is the best stimulus and best location to measure the action potential (AP)?

Back 6

Click or tone burst has quick onset to maximize neural synchrony; best location is at the basal end (high frequencies)

Front 7

Which auditory nerve fibers send signals to the brain??

Back 7

Afferent fibers

Front 8

At what location along the cochlear nerve does the neural information become a spike?

Back 8

habenula perforata

Front 9

What is the refractory period of a neuron? How long is it?

Back 9

The period during which a stimulus is not effective; lasts about 1 msec

Front 10

Describe what the spontaneous activity of a nerve means?

Back 10

It is the neural activity that occurs in the absence of a stimulus

Front 11

What is the range of discharge rates for auditory nerves in spontaneous activity?

Back 11

ranges from a few spikes per minute to 100 spikes per second

Front 12

Define neural threshold

Back 12

Stimulus level that will cause an increase in discharge rate above its spontaneous discharge rate

Front 13

Which type of nerve has the lowest neural thresholds in terms of level of spontaneous activity?

Back 13

Neurons with highest spontaneous activity have lowest neural thresholds

Front 14

Define the characteristic frequency of a neuron

Back 14

Frequency where the neuron discharges most rapidly

Front 15

What is the neuronal dynamic range?

Back 15

20-50 dB, which is the difference between threshold and saturation

Front 16

Explain tonotopic organization of the central nuclei

Back 16

Where neural spatial representation of frequency is maintained through central auditory nuclei

Front 17

Which nuclei is the first place to receive input from both cochleas?

Back 17

Superior olivary ocmplex (SOC)

Front 18

What are the 5 major nuclei of the brainstem in ascending order?

Back 18

(CSLIM) cochlear nucleus, superior olivary complex, lateral lemniscus, inferior colliculus, medial geniculate body

Front 19

What 2 types of fibers make up the tympanic membrane?

Back 19

concentric and radial

Front 20

How many IHCs and OHCs?

Back 20

3500 IHCs and 12,000 OHCs

Front 21

What is produced along the basilar membrane when there is movement of the footplate of the stapes?

Back 21

a traveling wave

Front 22

What potential is measured with electrocochleography?

Back 22

action potential (AP)

Front 23

The unmyelinated portion of the auditory nerve extends from the base of the hair cells to what location?

Back 23

habenula perforata

Front 24

What anatomic location is the origin of Wave III on the ABR?

Back 24

cochlear nucleus

Front 25

What location is the origin of wave IV on the ABR?

Back 25

superior olivary complex (SOC)

Front 26

What location is the origin of wave V on the ABR?

Back 26

inferior colliculus

Front 27

What term describes localization, speech understanding in noise, binaural summation, and acoustic quality?

Back 27

binaural processing

Front 28

What psychoacoustic procedures try to determine the smallest change in a signal?

Back 28

scaling procedures in which the subject is asked to rate the signal in some manner

Front 29

What psychoaoustical method is it when a subject is asked to press a button when they hear the tone as the loudness is increased?

Back 29

method of limits (ascending approach)

Front 30

What psychoacoustical method is used when a subject is asked to press a button when they hear a sound and release it when the sound disappears (zig-zag pattern)?

Back 30

method of adjustment

Front 31

Which psychoacoustic method allows for a psychometric function to be plotted?

Back 31

method of constant stimuli

Front 32

What 2 responses are possible when the signal is off for the Theory of Signal Detection?

Back 32

false alarm, correct rejection; other 2 response are hit or misses (signal is on)

Front 33

When is masking noise most effective?

Back 33

concentrated over narrow band at the signal frequency

Front 34

What 2 aural phenomena occur when tones are close together?

Back 34

Beating and aural nonlinearity

Front 35

What does MAF stand for?

Back 35

minimal audible field

Front 36

What type of coupler would be used to measure volume for headphones?

Back 36

6 cc coupler

Front 37

What is temporal integration?

Back 37

The rate at which the ear can add up loudness over time

Front 38

What is the temporal integration time for tones?

Back 38

300 ms

Front 39

What are 4 reasons identified for the "missing 6 dB" noted between MAF and MAP?

Back 39

head diffraction, outer ear resonance, calibration procedure, occlusion

Front 40

Define sensitivity

Back 40

The capability of indicating small changes or differences in a signal

Front 41

What are the test conditions needed to determine the minimal audible field (MAF)?

Back 41

tones, free field, loudspeaker, binaural hearing, 0 degree azimuth of signal, 1-meter distance

Front 42

Which 2 conditions can the human ear detect phase?

Back 42

At 2 different frequencies and at same frequency presented to both ears