Jan 23 Auditory System

• A sound wave is an oscillating movement in the air caused by vibrations of objects in the environment.
• The outer ear collects and focuses sound waves through the pinna and ear canal.
• The middle ear transfers and amplifies sound vibrations from outside (air) to inside (fluid) through the Ossicles which include the Malleus, Incus, and Stapes.
• The inner ear converts sound vibrations into a neural signal through the cochlea, basilar membrane, and auditory nerve.
• Hearing aids amplify sounds.
• Cochlear implants deliver sound directly to the auditory nerve.
• Pitch is a physical property (frequency Hz) that is perceived as a perceptual property (pitch).
• Loudness is a physical property (amplitude db) that is perceived as a perceptual property (loudness).
• Location is a perceptual property.
• Auditory objects are experience-driven and can evoke emotional responses.
• Misophonia is a disorder of decreased tolerance to specific sounds, where these “triggers” are experienced as unpleasant or distressing and tend to evoke strong negative emotional, physiological, and behavioral responses that are not seen in most other people.