open access
Anatomy and physiology of directional hearing
open access
Abstract
The aim of the paper is to present the most important neuroanatomical and neurophysiological studies concerning the phenomenon of sound localisation in space by people. The author analysed the available literature concerning this topic. The article presents different theories explaining the phenomenon of sound localisation, such as interaural differences in time, interaural differences in sound intensity, interaural and monaural differences in phase and the anatomical and physiological basis of these processes. It also describes methods of measurement of disturbances in sound localisation which are used around the world and in Poland, also by the author of this work. The author lists a number of reports on the neurological causes of disturbances in sound localisation, especially the ones connected with vascular damage of the brain. The reports indicate that it is the temporal and parietal lobes that play the role of cortical centres of sound localisation. Also, it should be pointed out that even though having two ears indeed makes it possible for humans to localise sources of sounds, the process itself takes place in the brain.
Abstract
The aim of the paper is to present the most important neuroanatomical and neurophysiological studies concerning the phenomenon of sound localisation in space by people. The author analysed the available literature concerning this topic. The article presents different theories explaining the phenomenon of sound localisation, such as interaural differences in time, interaural differences in sound intensity, interaural and monaural differences in phase and the anatomical and physiological basis of these processes. It also describes methods of measurement of disturbances in sound localisation which are used around the world and in Poland, also by the author of this work. The author lists a number of reports on the neurological causes of disturbances in sound localisation, especially the ones connected with vascular damage of the brain. The reports indicate that it is the temporal and parietal lobes that play the role of cortical centres of sound localisation. Also, it should be pointed out that even though having two ears indeed makes it possible for humans to localise sources of sounds, the process itself takes place in the brain.
Keywords
directional hearing, sound localisation, auditory pathway, spatial discrimination
About this articleTitle
Anatomy and physiology of directional hearing
Journal
Issue
Article type
Review article
Pages
9-15
Published online
2015-03-02
Page views
1538
Article views/downloads
2624
DOI
10.5603/FM.2015.0002
Pubmed
Bibliographic record
Folia Morphol 2015;74(1):9-15.
Keywords
directional hearing
sound localisation
auditory pathway
spatial discrimination
Authors
T. Przewoźny
