Matthew did not awaken when his rather noisy roommate came back to their dorm room in the very early hours of the morning. It is most likely that Matthew's failure to hear the disturbance resulted from
A) inner ear damage suffered as a result of attending too many loud heavy metal concerts.
B) input from the reticular formation to the MGN that adjusted his hearing to his state of consciousness.
C) stimulation of his superior olivary nucleus that temporarily made his inner hair cells less sensitive.
D) a temporary deficit in glutamate in his inner hair cells.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The reticular formation is responsible for regulating arousal and adjusting sensory input to match the current state of consciousness. In this case, it is likely that Matthew's reticular formation adjusted his hearing sensitivity to match his deep sleep state, making him less responsive to the noise. The other options, such as inner ear damage, temporary deficits in glutamate, and stimulation of the superior olivary nucleus, are less likely explanations for why Matthew did not hear the noise.

Matthew Did Not Awaken When His Rather Noisy Roommate Came