Auditory Neuroscience (Schnupp et al.)
TL;DR: Cochlea-to-cortex neuroscience of hearing (Schnupp et al., MIT 2011). Key for Touch Grass: binaural beats work below 1kHz via brainstem ITD processing; spatial audio reduces arousal via immersive sound field; equal-loudness contours explain why low frequencies need more amplitude to be felt.
From cochlea to cortex. How the brain processes sound. Critical for understanding WHY our sound healing works (or doesn’t).
Why We Need This
Touch Grass makes claims about sound affecting mental state. This book gives us the neuroscience: how binaural processing works in the brainstem, how spatial audio creates immersion, what frequencies the auditory system is most sensitive to.
Extractable Juice
Critical Chapters
| Chapter | Topic | Our Use |
|---|---|---|
| Ch 1 | Sound physics & ear | Frequency sensitivity, loudness perception |
| Ch 1.8 | Sound intensity | dB scales, equal-loudness contours |
| Ch 4 | Subcortical processing | How brainstem processes frequencies |
| Ch 5.1 | Sound source direction | ITD/ILD, spatial hearing |
| Ch 5.3 | Brainstem spatial cues | Neural basis for binaural beats |
| Ch 5.3.3 | ITD encoding | Interaural Time Difference processing |
| Ch 6 | Auditory scene analysis | Masking, attention, cocktail party |
| Ch 6.2 | Masking | Why mixing frequencies matters |
For Binaural Beats (Our Core Feature)
- ITD encoding in brainstem (Ch 5.3.3) - neurons in MSO/LSO process microsecond timing differences
- Frequency limits: binaural beats work best < 1000 Hz (phase locking limit)
- Neural entrainment pathway: auditory nerve → cochlear nucleus → superior olive → inferior colliculus
- Why spatial audio enhances relaxation: immersive sound field reduces arousal
For Sound Healing Claims
- Cochlear frequency mapping (tonotopy) - which frequencies reach which brain areas
- Loudness perception curves - optimal volume for relaxation vs attention
- Habituation - why variety in sounds matters (brain stops responding to constant stimulus)
How to Search
rag search "binaural interaural time difference brainstem" -n 5
rag search "frequency selectivity cochlea tonotopy" -n 5
rag search "auditory attention masking perception" -n 5Connections
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[see-also]Central Auditory Processing and Hearing Loss -
[see-also]Sound Therapy and Hearing Loss -
[see-also]Misha -
[see-also]Binaural Beats -
[part-of]MOC - Audio & DSP -
STRC Hearing Loss - same auditory system, different pathology
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Singing Bowl Physics - what we produce → how it’s perceived
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Touch Grass - scientific basis for app claims
Output
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