MSC 350 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Auditory Brainstem Response, Bone Conduction, Sound Localization
13 Sep 2016
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Document Summary
Introduction: sensory systems - allow animals to receive and process info about their surroundings. Lots of variation depending on the species. Humans more optic vs. auditory nerves. Marine mammals are unique because air adapted senses are not suitable. Much higher noises made than are audible to human ear: peripheral sensory nerves. Send information to cns: multi-modal approach integrating systems. The sensation of touch occurs all over animal"s body, except for on whiskers. Cetaceans have an active damping along body surface because of turbulence while swimming this would be painful otherwise so something must happen to numb skin. Highest sensitivity found in head: 2. 5cm around blowhole, 5cm around each eye, rostrum, melon. Least sensitive is area on back around fins. Vibrissae = primary touch reception organs (vs. pelage hairs) Occurrence and distribution varies depending on species: baleen whales, odontocetes, river dolphins all have different distributions. Lots of space in brain delegated to sense of touch due to dense innervation.
