Placido is listening to an opera.When the soprano sings,his neurons respond to her voice primarily in the _____; when the bass sings,Placido's neurons respond to his voice primarily in the _____.
A) back of the primary auditory cortex; front of the primary auditory cortex
B) front of the primary auditory cortex; back of the primary auditory cortex
C) right thalamus; left thalamus
D) left thalamus; right thalamus

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The organization of the primary auditory cortex is tonotopic, meaning that the neurons are arranged by the frequency of the sound they respond to. The higher frequency sounds (such as a soprano's voice) are processed in the front of the primary auditory cortex, while lower frequency sounds (such as a bass's voice) are processed in the back of the primary auditory cortex. Therefore, Placido's neurons would primarily respond to the soprano's voice in the front of the primary auditory cortex and to the bass's voice in the back. Choices A, C, and D do not accurately reflect the organization of the primary auditory cortex.

Placido Is Listening to an Opera