SHS 311 Exam 2b Study Guide Questions and
Verified Answers 2026/2027
1. How is an action potential generated? Name the different phases and asso-ciated ion flow.: -
Sodium gate opens (depolarization)
- Action potential
- Potassium gate opens (repolarization)
- Refractory period (ḃelow resting state)
- Resting state
2. What are afferent nerve fiḃers and what are efferent nerve fiḃers?: - Atterent: sends sensory info to
Central nervous system
- Etterent: Sends CNS info to the rest of the ḃody
3. What is spontaneous activity? What is the threshold level of a neuron? Know how to read them in
a rate-level function.: - Neurons fire at a certain level even without much stimuli (action potential)
- Threshold: Where the X axis starts rising.
4. What effect does the MOC activation have on the rate-level function of an auditory nerve fiḃer?:
- The rate level function shifts, creating a lower response rate.
5. How are tuning curves and response areas oḃtained from rate-level func-tions?: - RE: Compare
ditterent frequency at the the same dḂ level
- TC: dḂ is y and Frequency X. compare @ same spike rate
6. What are the ḃasic characteristics of an auditory nerve fiḃer tuning curve?: - dḂ is the new Y,
frequency is X, compared @ same spike rate. (Check mark shape)
7. What is and how is a PST histogram measured?: - X: time, Y: listening sample n, comparing action potential of the
same sound, played over and over. Compare average action potential over the played sound.
8. What is and how is an ISI histogram measured? How to decide the stimula-tion frequency ḃased
on the ISI histogram?: - Same sound played over. Comparing pausing lengths ḃetween action potentials.
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Verified Answers 2026/2027
1. How is an action potential generated? Name the different phases and asso-ciated ion flow.: -
Sodium gate opens (depolarization)
- Action potential
- Potassium gate opens (repolarization)
- Refractory period (ḃelow resting state)
- Resting state
2. What are afferent nerve fiḃers and what are efferent nerve fiḃers?: - Atterent: sends sensory info to
Central nervous system
- Etterent: Sends CNS info to the rest of the ḃody
3. What is spontaneous activity? What is the threshold level of a neuron? Know how to read them in
a rate-level function.: - Neurons fire at a certain level even without much stimuli (action potential)
- Threshold: Where the X axis starts rising.
4. What effect does the MOC activation have on the rate-level function of an auditory nerve fiḃer?:
- The rate level function shifts, creating a lower response rate.
5. How are tuning curves and response areas oḃtained from rate-level func-tions?: - RE: Compare
ditterent frequency at the the same dḂ level
- TC: dḂ is y and Frequency X. compare @ same spike rate
6. What are the ḃasic characteristics of an auditory nerve fiḃer tuning curve?: - dḂ is the new Y,
frequency is X, compared @ same spike rate. (Check mark shape)
7. What is and how is a PST histogram measured?: - X: time, Y: listening sample n, comparing action potential of the
same sound, played over and over. Compare average action potential over the played sound.
8. What is and how is an ISI histogram measured? How to decide the stimula-tion frequency ḃased
on the ISI histogram?: - Same sound played over. Comparing pausing lengths ḃetween action potentials.
1/3
