Chapter 7

Through which mechanism do we perceive low-frequency sounds (up to about \(100 \mathrm{Hz}\) )?

What is one way in which the auditory and visual cortices differ?

Which type of hearing loss would be more common among members of rock bands and why? Would they be likely to benefit from hearing aids?

People with damage to the vestibular system have trouble reading street signs while walking.Why?

In what way is somatosensation several senses instead of one?

What evidence suggests that the somatosensory cortex is essential for the conscious perception of touch?

Suppose someone suffers a cut through the spinal cord on the right side only. Will the person lose pain sensation on the left side or the right side? Will he or she lose touch sensation on the left side or the right side?

What would happen to a pain sensation if glutamate receptors in the spinal cord were blocked? What if substance P receptors were blocked?

How do ibuprofen and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs decrease pain?

Would opiates increase or decrease itch sensations?

Suppose someone suffers from constant itching. What kinds of drugs might help relieve it?

Suppose you find a new, unusual-tasting food. How could you determine whether we have a special receptor for that food or whether we taste it with a combination of the other known taste receptors?

Although the tongue has receptors for bitter tastes, researchers have not found neurons in the brain itself that respond more strongly to bitter than to other tastes. Explain, then, how it is possible for the brain to detect bitter tastes.

If someone injected into your tongue a chemical that blocks the release of second messengers, how would it affect your taste experiences?

How do olfactory receptors resemble metabotropic neurotransmitter receptors?