Human cerebral dominance and significance of a subconscious sensor for detecting auditory signals.
The author introduces the concept of the Tsunoda Test. Different from conventional psychological experiments, the Tsunoda test is considered to measure the function of a sensory-motor system named automatic switching mechanism, which is believed to exist in the subcortical brainstem region. This mechanism automatically selects verbal and nonverbal sounds from processing by the right and left cerebral hemispheres according to physical acoustic characteristics. Subconscious motor and sensory responses play a vital role in our conscious activities, and the Tsunoda Test is directly applicable to an integral motor-sensory mechanism in the brainstem. The Tsunoda Test, which combines the motor modality with an auditory test, is beneficial for understanding the hitherto little known functions of the subconscious central brain. The concept of this Automatic Switching Mechanism closely overlaps the centrencephalic "automatic sensory-motor mechanism" hypothesized by W. Penfield from a vast number of clinical studies.
Tsunoda
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Medical Research Institute, Tokyo Medical and Dental University.
D001306:Auditory Pathways / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D004007:Dichotic Listening Tests; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006309:Hearing / Q000502:physiology*; D006320:Hearing Tests; D006801:Humans; D014831:Voice