15a. Inner Ear, Hearing and Vestibular Function Flashcards

1
Q

What is the name of the eardrum?

A

Tympanic membrane

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2
Q

What is connected to the tympanic membrane?

A

Malleus

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3
Q

Name the auditory ossicles

A

Malleus
Incus
Stapes

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4
Q

What is the stapes connected to?

A

Oval window

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5
Q

What does the eustachian tube connect the middle ear to?

A

Nasopharynx

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6
Q

What are the functions of the eustachian tube?

A

Equalise pressure

Drain fluid from the middle ear into the throat

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7
Q

What is impedance?

A

Resistance to movement

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8
Q

How is impedance combatted in the ear?

A

Energy from the large surface area of the tympanic membrane is concentrated onto the oval window
Lever action of the ossicles amplifies vibration

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9
Q

What comprises the vestibular apparatus?

A

Utricle
Saccule
3 semi-circular canals

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10
Q

What information is received by the vestibular apparatus?

A

Balance
Co-ordination
Head positions

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11
Q

What lobe does information from the vestibular apparatus go to?

A

Temporal

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12
Q

What is mechanotransduction?

A

Sound waves are converted to nerve impulses by the displacement of fluid

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13
Q

What does pushing in of the oval window cause?

A

Movement of fluid in the scala vestibuli

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14
Q

What fluid is found in the scala vestibuli?

A

Perilymph

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15
Q

What cochlear labyrinth is connected to the round window?

A

Scala tympani

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16
Q

What fluid is found in the scala media/ cochlear duct?

A

Endolymph

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17
Q

What is contained in the scala media?

A

Organ of Corti

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18
Q

What separates the scala vestibuli from the scala media?

A

Reissner’s membrane

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19
Q

Which membrane separates the scala media from the scala tympani?

A

Basilar membrane

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20
Q

What is the composition of perilymph?

A

Similar to CSF
High Na+
Low K+

21
Q

What is the composition of endolymph?

A

Low Na+

High K+

22
Q

What is found in the lateral wall of the cochlea?

A

Stria vascularis

23
Q

What makes up the stria vascularis?

A

Capillaries and marginal cells

24
Q

What is the function of marginal cells?

A

Maintain the resting potential of endolymph by maintaining high K+

25
Q

What membrane lies above the hair cells of the Organ of Corti?

A

Tectorial membrane

26
Q

What happens when hair cells in the Organ of Corti are bent against the tectorial membrane?

A

Cilia bend
Influx of K+
Depolarisation causes opening of voltage gated Ca++ channels
Glutamate is released

27
Q

What does amplitude of a sound wave correspond to?

A

Volume

28
Q

What is the normal hearing threshold?

A

0-90dB

29
Q

What volume causes pain?

A

130dB

30
Q

What does frequency of a sound wave correspond to?

A

Pitch

31
Q

How are different frequencies differentiated from by the Organ of Corti?

A

Location of the hair cells along basilar membrane of the scala media
Low: Close to helicotrema
High: Close to base

32
Q

What is the normal audible frequency threshold?

A

20-20,000 Hz

33
Q

What is the frequency of speech?

A

100-3400 Hz

34
Q

What hearing test is used to test frequency?

A

Pure tone audiometry

35
Q

What is an audiogram?

A

Plot of thresholds for amplitude and frequency

36
Q

What is sensorineural deafness?

A

Degeneration of hair cells in the Organ of Corti and/or cochlear nerve fibres

37
Q

What are the causes of sensorineural deafness?

A

Loud sound
Vascular lesion
Ototoxicity

38
Q

What can cause ototoxicity?

A

Aminoglycosidases: antibiotics and loop diuretics

39
Q

What is conductive deafness?

A

Impaired sound transmission in external or middle ear

40
Q

What are the causes of conductive deafness?

A

Wax
Foreign body
Perforated tympanic membrane
Infection

41
Q

What test is used to differentiate between sensorineural and conductive deafness?

A

Weber and Rinne

42
Q

What does the Weber test detect?

A

Unilateral loss

Patient must know which ear is affected

43
Q

What result is positive for conductive hearing loss in the Weber test?

A

Patient hears tuning fork louder in the affected ear

44
Q

What result is positive for sensorineural hearing loss in the Weber test?

A

Tuning fork is louder in healthy ear

45
Q

What is the Rinne test used to evaluate?

A

Air and bone conduction

46
Q

How is the Rinne test conducted?

A

Tuning fork is placed on the mastoid process until the patient can no longer hear it
Quickly place near auditory canal
Compare times it took to hear

47
Q

What is a normal/positive Rinne result?

A

Air conduction> bone conduction

48
Q

What is a negative Rinne/ conductive loss result?

A

BC> AC

Due to blockage of air entering ear

49
Q

What is the result for sensorineural hearing loss in the Rinne test?

A

AC> BC but decreased duration of hearing AC