chapter 12-spatial orientation and the vestibular system Flashcards
problems with the vestibular system can lead to peculiar sensations
spatial disorientation, dizziness, vertigo, imbalance, blurred vision, illusory self-motion
spatial disorientation
any impairment of spatial orientation (sense of linear motion, angular motion, or tilt)
dizziness
nonspecific spatial disorientation; no specific direction
vertigo
sensation of rotation or spinning
vestibular organs/vestibular system
the set of five organs (3 semicircular canals and two otolith organs) located in each inner ear that sense head motion and head orientation with respect to gravity
vestibular organs help us in many ways, for instance; provide a sense of spatial orientation consisting of
linear motion, angular motion, tilt
spatial orientation
a sense comprised of three interacting sensory modalities; our sense of linear motion, angular motion and tilt
angular motion
rotation; can be sense when rotating head from side to side as if to say “no”; fluid motion
linear motion
sensed when accelerating or decelerating in a car; motion of hard substance/intertia
tilt
can be sensed when nodding head up and down as if to say “yes”; gravity
fluid and inertia processes what
acceleration, changes in velocity; starting and stopping motions
gravity processes what
acceleration force, constant acceleration
spatial orientation coordinates system for classifying direction on how many axes that are relative to what
3 axes; defined relative to the head of the person, independent of gravity
x axis
points forward, in the direction the person is facing; forward and backward
y axis
point laterally, out of the persons left ear; left and right
z axis
point vertically, out of the top of the persons head; up and down
linear motion-translation of movements
represented in terms of changes in the x y and z axes; any arbitrary linear motion can be represented as a change along these three axes
linear motion; vector
amplitude (degree of acceleration and velocity, size of head movement), direction (line one moves along)
three directions for sense of rotation
roll, pitch, yaw
roll
rotation around the x axis (maybe)
pitch
rotation around y axis (yes)
yaw
rotation around z axis (no)
tilt
more of a constant position vs a motion
tilt is in regard to 2 axes
x and y
semicircular canals
the three toroidal tubes that sense angular acceleration, a change in angular velocity;
otolith organs
mechanical structures that sense both linear acceleration and gravity
otolith organs offer sense of
linear velocity and tilt; hard structure inside that gets shifted within
semicircular canals source of
our sense of rotation; slosh fluid back and forth
semicircular canals have how many directions
3; anterior, posterior, horizontal
otolith organs are more localized; __ of them
2; utricle and saccule
hair cells are in semicircular canals and otolith organs
support the stereocilia that transduce mechanical movement in the vestibular labyrinth into neural activity sent to the brain stem
mechanoreceptors are in semicircular canals and otolith organs
sensory receptors that are responsive to mechanical stimulation (pressure, vibration, movement)
hair cells act as ____ in each of the five vestibular organs
mechanoreceptors
head motion causes hair stereocilia to ___, causing a change in hair cell ___ and altering ___ release (___ response)
deflect, voltage, neurotransmitter, gradient
degree to which stereocilia are bent determine how much ____ is released
neurotransmitter