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Chapter 13.9 Beyond the Ear

BOOK TITLE: Understanding Medical Physiology: A Textbook for Medical Students

Author
1. Bijlani R.L.
ISBN
9788180612213
DOI
10.5005/jp/books/10999_95
Edition
3/e
Publishing Year
2004
Pages
9
Author Affiliations
1. All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi
Chapter keywords
acoustic stimulus, central nervous system, auditory function, auditory pathways, cochlea, auditory nerve fibres, spiral ganglion, medulla oblongata, ventral cochlear nuclei, acoustic stimuli

Abstract

This chapter discusses ear that can receive, transduct and analyse an acoustic stimulus. The role of central nervous system in auditory function is generally studied in terms of the auditory pathways, and the contribution of each station in the pathway from the cochlea to the cortex. The auditory nerve fibres innervating the hair cells have their cell bodies located in the spiral ganglion. The axons of these neurons relay in the dorsal and ventral cochlear nuclei of the medulla oblongata. The unique feature of cortical neuronal response to acoustic stimuli is the brief duration of response. The response is seen at the onset and at the termination of the stimulus but is not sustained throughout the stimulus. The direction from which a sound is coming is judged from the difference in the time at which the sound arrives at the two ears, and the difference in the intensity of the sound at the two ears.

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