The Gustatory System
Learning Objectives By the end of this section, you should be able to Imagine it is a cool fall evening at a street festival, and you are hungrily wandering through the food trucks trying to find the perfect snack. You…
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The Chemical Senses are Several Distinct Sensory Systems
Learning Objectives By the end of this section, you should be able to Signal integration is arguably the most fundamental function of the nervous system. While our brain can integrate information from any of our senses, our perception of taste and…
Introduction
Figure 8.1 Flattened and thin squamous epithelial cells are found inside cavities and ducts, including the mouth and nose. Image credit: Berkshire Community College Bioscience Image Library, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons Chapter Outline 8.1 The Chemical Senses are Several Distinct Sensory Systems 8.2 The…
Section Summary
Acoustic Cues and Signals Hearing is a critical sense that allows animals to detect objects and events in their environments. It is based on the perception of sound, acoustic pressure waves that travel through the air. Understanding the different ways…
Balance: A Sense of Where You Are
Learning Objectives By the end of this section, you should be able to The auditory system, responsible for the sense of hearing, is closely associated with the vestibular system, which is responsible for the sense of balance and for helping…
How Does the Brain Process Acoustic Information?
Learning Objectives By the end of this section, you should be able to It is remarkable to consider how the flapping of a mosquito’s wings can set in motion a process that involves thousands if not millions of neurons. We…
How Does Acoustic Information Enter the Brain?
Learning Objectives By the end of this section, you should be able to In the previous topic, we’ve seen how the air is full of acoustic waves carrying cues and signals vital to survival. These waves consist of minute variations…
Acoustic Cues and Signals
Learning Objectives By the end of this section, you should be able to The world is full of sound, and almost every species of animal possesses the ability to sense and respond to sounds. Indeed, hearing is so important that…
Introduction
Figure 7.1 Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of mouse outer hair cell stereocilia are pseudocolored to highlight the rows of cilia. Image credit: SEM cilia images from: Velez-Ortega et al., 2017, eLife CC BY 4.0 Chapter Outline 7.1 Acoustic Cues and Signals…
Section Summary
An Overview of the Visual System Our visual sense allows us to reconstruct the world around us, which seems effortless and automatic, but in fact requires our eyes and brain to engage in extensive neural processing to allow us to…