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Auditory & Vestibular Systems Flashcards

1
Q

What are hair bundles filled with?

A

→ actin and are stiff rods

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2
Q

What do hair cells synapse onto?

A

→ Auditory nerve fibre that projects to the brain

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3
Q

What do hair cells convert?

A

→ Motion of stereocilia into release of neurotransmitter

→ NT is converted into electrical activity

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4
Q

What is the extracellular matrix of the hair cells called?

A

→tectorial membrane

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5
Q

Where is the otoconial membrane?

A

→ In the macula of the vestibular system

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6
Q

Where is the cupula?

A

→ Cristae of vestibular system

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7
Q

How are stereocilia arranged?

A

→ In bundles

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8
Q

What are stereocilia connected by?

A

→ connectors

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9
Q

What are the 3 types of connectors?

A

→ Top connector
→ Shaft connector

→ Ankle links

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10
Q

What connectors are important to transduction?

A

→ tip links

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11
Q

What is the function of lateral link connectors?

A

→ they hold the bundle of stereocilia together to allow it to move as a unit

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12
Q

What is the function of tip links?

A

→ Tension in the tip links distorts the tip of the stereocilia mechanically
→ distortion allows channels to open and close with cilia movement

→ current flows proportionately

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13
Q

Describe how hair cells work

A

→ Tip links open ion channels
→ outside the stereocilia is a fluid called endolymph

→ when tip links deform and pull on the top of the stereocilia they allow in a lot of K+
→ endolymph is high in K+
→ K+ influx depolarises the cell
→ VGCC opens
→ Ca2+ triggers neurotransmitter release at the synapse
→ postsynaptic potential in nerve fibre triggers an action potential

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14
Q

When does depolarisation occur?

A

→ When the hair bundle is pushed towards the tallest stereocilia

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15
Q

When does hyperpolarisation occur?

A

→ When the hair bundle is pushed away from the tallest cilia

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16
Q

What system do fish and amphibians have?

A

→ Lateral line system

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17
Q

What is the function of mechanoreceptors on fish?

A

→ Provides information about movement through water or the direction and velocity of water flow

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18
Q

How do neuromasts function?

A

→ Gelatinous cupula encases the hair bundle and moves in response to water motion

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19
Q

What is the inner ear formed from?

A

→ Semicircular canals from the vestibular system

→ Cochlea

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20
Q

Where do the afferent nerves come from?

A

→ Vestibulocochlear nerve CN VIII

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21
Q

What is linear motion?

A

→ Up, down
→ left and right

→ back and forwards

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22
Q

What is rotation?

A

→ Rolling - shoulder to shoulder
→ pitch - forwards and backwards

→ yaw - side to side

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23
Q

What senses rotation?

A

→ Semicircular canals

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24
Q

What is responsible for sensing roll?

A

→ Posterior semicircular canal

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25
What is responsible for sensing pitch (y-axis)?
→ Anterior semicircular canal
26
What is responsible for sensing yaw?
→ Horizontal semicircular canal
27
Where does the endolymph move?
→ In the opposite direction to your head
28
What does rotation cause in the semicircular canals?
→ Fluid motion
29
What are cilia connected to?
→ Gelatinous cupula
30
Describe what happens in the cupula when motion occurs
→ Fluid in the canals lags due to inertia pulling the cupula in the opposite direction to the rotation of the head → cilia are displaced and depolarise hair cells
31
What is the ampulla?
→ AN opening with receptors
32
What does the cupula detect?
→ Flow of fluid through the semicircular canal
33
What are the otolith organs sensitive to?
→ Linear acceleration
34
How are the hair cells arranged in the utricular macula?
→ in a curving way
35
What motion can the saccular macula detect and why?
→ up and down motion | → hair cells are arranged in that way
36
What is on top of the hair cells? (vestibular)
→ Rigid otoconia crystals
37
What happens to the crystals when motion occurs?
→ Under acceleration the crystal layer is displaced which deflects the cilia
38
Describe the auditory pathway
→ Cochlear nucleus → Olivary complex → Lateral lemniscus → Inferior Colliculus → Medial geniculate body → Auditory cortex
39
What type of pressure waves are in the atmosphere?
→ Longitudinal
40
What determines wavelength?
→ Rate at which compression and rarefaction occur
41
What determines frequency?
→ Rate at which pressure cycles between compression and rarefaction
42
What is normal air pressure?
→ 100kpa
43
What is the decibel scale?
→ Log of ratio relative to 20 micropascals
44
What is the pinna?
→ Visible ear
45
What is the function of the pinna?
→ Gathers sound from environment and funnels it to the eardrum
46
What is the pinna made from?
→ Cartilage and is covered with skin
47
What is the function of the meatus and the concha?
→ meatus amplifies low frequency | → concha amplifies high frequency
48
What is grade I microtia?
→ Less than complete development of external ear | → identifiable structures and a small but present ear canal
49
What is grade II microtia?
→ Partially developed ear | → closed stenotic external ear canal producing conductive hearing loss
50
What is grade III microtia?
→ Absence of the external ear → small peanut like vestige structure → absence of external ear canal and drum
51
What is grade VI microtia?
→ Absence of the total ear
52
What does the eardrum vibrate in response to?
→ Sound
53
What do the ossicles connect?
→ Tympanic membrane to oval window of cochlea
54
What does the malleus connect to?
→ Eardrum
55
What does the incus act as?
→ A lever | → malleus pushes it at the top which gives it amplification
56
What does the incus connect to?
→ Stapes
57
How does the motion of the eardrum turn into motion of fluid in the cochlea?
→ Vibrational movement in the ear drum is transmitted through ossicles and amplified at the incus → leads to motion pushing on the oval window of the cochlea
58
What is glue ear?
→ Middle ear fills with fluid which impedes motion of the ossicles
59
Why do you lose amplification with glue ear?
→ Eardrum is pushing against fluid
60
What are the three chambers in the cochlea?
→ Scala vestibuli → Scala media → Scala tympani
61
What is the basilar membrane?
→ between the scala tympanis and the scala media
62
What does the stapes cause?
→ Compression of fluid within cochlea
63
What is the cochlea?
→ Fluid filled spiral canal divided by a flexible membrane
64
What is the function of the basilar membrane?
→ It filters sound according to frequency
65
What is the basilar membrane like at the apex and at the end?
→ more rigid at the end closest to oval membrane | → at the apex it is wide and compliant
66
How does the basilar membrane resonate at the apex and at the end?
→ Close to the oval window the basilar membrane resonates at higher frequencies → at the other end it resonates at lower frequencies →Wave rises gradually, peaks, then decays rapidly. →Peak location depends on stimulus frequency.
67
Where is the organ of corti?
→ On top of the basilar membrane within the scala media
68
What is the extracellular matrix of the organ of corti?
→ Tectorial membrane
69
What does motion of the organ of corti cause?
→displacement of stereocilia
70
What hair cells are in contact with the tectorial membrane?
→ outer hair cells
71
What does the basilar membrane do to the hair cells?
→ Moves up and down and pushes the hair cells towards the tectorial membrane
72
Describe how the cells contract
→ Influx of +ve ions makes the outer hair cells contract → when there are increases in voltage the prestin contracts → it is on the cell membrane so it causes the entire cell to contract
73
What is prestin?
→ A substance that allows the hair cell to be motile
74
Describe the cochlear amplifier
→ basilar membrane moves upwards → it pushes against the tectorial membrane which makes the hair cell bundle lean → as it leans it opens up the channels on the hair cell → this allows an influx of +ve ions → the voltage inside the cell increases → the cell contracts → prestin will be in a short confirmation state → basilar membrane is pulled towards the tectorial membrane → inner hair cell leans in further which causes the influx of more +ve ions
75
How much does the cochlea amplify by?
→ 50 dB
76
What is the intracellular voltage of the hairs?
→ negative
77
What is the difference like between intra and extra cellular voltage and why?
→ Much larger than other neurons | → changes in the voltage of haircells are much more rapid
78
What ion is in high concentration in the scala media?
→ K+
79
What is a difference between inner and outer hair cells?
Inner hair cells have afferent synapse to the brain →arranged in rows Outer hair cells have efferent synapse →arranged in lined arches
80
Summarise the 3 ways sound amplified in the year
→outer cells structure →ossicles via levering →battery- difference in potential difference between endolymph and actual hair cells.

Neuroscience (21 decks)

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