(Image by Janina Luckow) Structure vs FunctionĪ detailed look at each anatomical region of the auditory system must include both the structure and the function of each region. Emphasis will be placed on the function as well as structure of each region along the auditory pathway. Both pathways will be discussed in the present unit. Afferent pathways include all neural pathways going from the auditory periphery to the cerebral cortex, whereas efferent pathways are all pathways coming from the cortex back to the periphery. The central nervous system includes theīrain and the spinal cord, with parts of the central nervous system involved in auditory function being in the brainstem, the midbrain, and the cerebral cortex. The auditory periphery includes various parts of the ear and endsĪt the auditory nerve, which leades from the cochlea to the brainstem. The anatomy section of this unit will cover the peripheral and central auditory nervous systems, from the outer earĪll the way up to the secondary auditory cortex. We will consider the importance of hearing protection, and explore various ways to protect your ears. Types of hearing loss and their origins will be discussed. To get a sense of the evolution of the auditory system, we will also compare the human auditory system with that of other animals, noting the commonalities and divergence points of the structures involved in hearing.įinally we look at when the auditory system malfunctions. In addition to feedforward pathways from the auditory periphery to the cerebral cortex (also known as afferent pathways), we will also consider efferent pathways, or feedback routes from the central nervous system to the auditory periphery, which support the view that hearing is not a passive state, but an activity that requires constant change and flexibility. We will discuss how the cochlea transforms sound into neural impulses, which are then to be relayed in various transformations through the neural centers of the brainstem and midbrain before it is processed by the primary and secondary auditory cortices.
To understand this system, we will follow the pathway that sound travels from the outer ear to the cochlea.
The auditory system is a set of biological structures and functions that enable you to hear. To understand the physiological bases of musical phenomena, this unit will provide an in-depth overview of the structure and function of the auditory system. Much of our auditory and musical functions arise from the anatomical structures of our brain and auditory system.
0 kommentar(er)
