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Perceiving Loudness, Pitch, and Location

Perceiving Loudness, Pitch, and Location

The human brain perceives pitch through two primary mechanisms reflected in place theory and frequency theory. Each mechanism describes how sound waves are interpreted as specific pitches by the brain, offering insights into the intricate processes of auditory perception.
Place theory, or place coding, suggests that different pitches are heard because various sound waves activate specific locations along the cochlea's basilar membrane. The brain determines the pitch of a sound by identifying...

Hearing

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When we hear a sound, our nervous system is detecting sound waves—pressure waves of mechanical energy traveling through a medium. The frequency of the wave is perceived as pitch, while the amplitude is perceived as loudness.

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Auditory Pathway

Auditory pathways constitute the complex neural circuits responsible for transmitting and interpreting auditory information from the peripheral auditory system to the brain. Sound waves are initially captured by the outer ear, funneled through the ear canal, and reach the tympanic membrane (eardrum). These vibrations are transmitted via the middle ear's ossicles to the inner ear's cochlea.
When viewed cross-sectionally, the cochlea reveals the scala vestibuli and scala tympani flanking the...

The Cochlea

The Cochlea

The cochlea is a coiled structure in the inner ear that contains hair cells—the sensory receptors of the auditory system. Sound waves are transmitted to the cochlea by small bones attached to the eardrum called the ossicles, which vibrate the oval window that leads to the inner ear. This causes fluid in the chambers of the cochlea to move, vibrating the basilar membrane.

Auditory Perception

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The auditory system is essential for sound perception, utilizing various critical structures. When sound waves enter the outer ear, they travel through the ear canal and cause the eardrum to vibrate. These vibrations are then transmitted to the middle ear, where three tiny bones – the malleus, incus, and stapes – amplify the sound. This amplification is crucial, as it ensures that the sound vibrations are strong enough to be conveyed to the inner ear. These vibrations then reach the cochlea, a...

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Related Experiment Video

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Cross-Modal Multivariate Pattern Analysis

Cross-Modal Multivariate Pattern Analysis

Published on: November 9, 2011

Simultaneous pitches are encoded separately in auditory cortex: an MMNm study.

Takako Fujioka¹, Laurel J Trainor, Bernhard Ross

¹Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest, University of Toronto, Canada. tfujioka@rotman-baycrest.on.ca

|February 28, 2008

Summary

This study reveals that concurrent tones in auditory memory are processed separately but not entirely independently. Preattentive auditory memory shows distinct traces for simultaneous pitches, with some interaction observed.

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Published on: October 24, 2012

Area of Science:

Auditory Neuroscience
Cognitive Psychology
Neuroscience

Background:

Understanding auditory memory is crucial for explaining how the brain processes complex sounds.
Preattentive auditory memory, which operates without conscious attention, plays a key role in initial sound processing.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate whether simultaneous auditory pitches are stored as separate or integrated representations in preattentive memory.
To determine the degree of independence between memory traces of concurrent tones.

Main Methods:

Examined mismatch negativity (MMN) fields in response to pitch changes in two-tone dyads.
Presented higher and lower pitches at 25% probability each, with pitch changes occurring at 50% total deviation rate.
Compared MMN responses to deviant tones within dyads versus tones presented alone.

Main Results:

Clear mismatch negativity (MMNm) was observed for deviant pitches in both tones, confirming separate memory traces.
Deviants in the lower-pitched tone elicited a reduced MMNm compared to solo tones, suggesting interaction.
Deviants in the higher-pitched tone did not show a significant reduction in MMNm, indicating less interaction.

Conclusions:

Concurrent tones in preattentive auditory memory are represented by separate memory traces.
These representations are not completely independent, as evidenced by the interaction observed for the lower-pitched tone.
The findings contribute to understanding the neural basis of auditory scene analysis and concurrent sound perception.