The eardrums move when the eyes move: A multisensory effect on the mechanics of hearing

[mansr]

http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2018/01/22/1717948115

 

"The peripheral hearing system contains several motor mechanisms that allow the brain to modify the auditory transduction process. Movements or tensioning of either the middle ear muscles or the outer hair cells modifies eardrum motion, producing sounds that can be detected by a microphone placed in the ear canal (e.g., as otoacoustic emissions). Here, we report a form of eardrum motion produced by the brain via these systems: oscillations synchronized with and covarying with the direction and amplitude of saccades. These observations suggest that a vision-related process modulates the first stage of hearing. In particular, these eye movement-related eardrum oscillations may help the brain connect sights and sounds despite changes in the spatial relationship between the eyes and the ears."

[mansr]

5 minutes ago, Andyman said:

You on holiday this week Mans?

[mansr]

The original post was not intended as a joke.

[mansr]

7 hours ago, NOMBEDES said:

There people alive today had ancestors who were able to avoid lions.

Avoiding lions is easy, at least here in Britain.

[mansr]

3 minutes ago, NOMBEDES said:

Ok, how about avoiding Vikings?

No need. I am one.