Question

You get hit hard in the head with a hockey puck, and you hear ringing even though there isn't any sound. what is the best explanation for this?

A. the hockey puck damaged the receptors, thus causing them to be dislodged from the membranes.
B. the cerebral cortex is unable to distinguish between actual ringing sounds and a sudden flash of pain.
C. the activation of the auditory labeled line, regardless of the stimulus, always leads to an auditory perception.
D. more information is needed.

Answer 1

The best explanation for hearing ringing in the absence of sound after a blow to the head is the activation of the auditory labeled line, leading to auditory perception regardless of the stimulus. The correct answer is option C.

Step-by-step explanation:

If you are hit hard in the head with a hockey puck and experience ringing even though there isn't any sound, the best explanation for this phenomenon is likely option C: the activation of the auditory labeled line, regardless of the stimulus, always leads to an auditory perception. This condition is known as tinnitus, and it often results from the damage to the hair cells in the cochlea of the inner ear. When these hair cells are damaged or stimulated in atypical ways, such as through a physical blow to the head, they can produce the sensation of sound even when there is no actual sound wave present. This is because the hair cells activate nerve impulses that are interpreted by the brain as sound through the auditory nerve.