Ear Anatomy & Physiology Flashcards

1
Q

what 3 regions is the ear divided into?

A

external, middle, and internal

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2
Q

what is the inner ear associated with?

A

vestibular sense (equilibrium)

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3
Q

the outer ear consists of?

A

auricle (pinna), external auditory canal (meatus), and the tympanic membrane

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4
Q

purpose of the external auditory canal?

A

lined with ceruminous glands that secrete cerumen (ear wax) that traps & removes debris before it reaches tympanic membrane; also lubricates and waterproofs canal and tympanic membrane

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5
Q

what is the tympanic membrane?

A

thin sheet of epithelium and connective tissue

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6
Q

purpose of tympanic membrane?

A

separates outer and middle ear regions; transmits energy of sound waves

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7
Q

what is the auricle (pinna)?

A

elastic cartilage with fleshy lobule covered with skin

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8
Q

purpose of the auricle (pinna)?

A

funnels sound waves into external auditory canal

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9
Q

purpose of the pharyngotympanic tube?

A

connects nasopharynx with middle ear; equalizes air pressure on both sides of tympanic membrane

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10
Q

what does the middle ear consist of?

A

pharyngotympanic tube and auditory ossicles

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11
Q

what are auditory ossicles?

A

bones within the middle ear, named by their shapes and connected to one another

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12
Q

list the auditory ossicles

A

malleus, incus, and stapes

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13
Q

purpose of the auditory ossicles?

A

link tympanic membrane to outer wall of inner ear; amplify and convert incoming sound waves in air into fluid movement

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14
Q

what skeletal muscles are attached to ossicles?

A

tensor tympani and stapedius muscle

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15
Q

purpose of tensor tympani muscle?

A

tightens tympanic membrane by pulling it medially

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16
Q

purpose of stapedius muscle?

A

reduces movement of ossicles as unit

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17
Q

what is reflexive in middle ear?

A

prevents damage from loud sounds by reducing movement of both the tympanic membrane and ossicles

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18
Q

what are the 3 parts of the inner ear?

A

cochlea, vestibule, and semicircular canals

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19
Q

what are labyrinths?

A

network of serpentine pathways

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20
Q

what types of labyrinths are in the inner ear?

A

bony and membranous

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21
Q

what is bony labyrinth?

A

open passageways that make up inner ear chamber

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22
Q

what is membranous labyrinth?

A

membranes that line bony labyrinth

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23
Q

what is endolymph?

A

within membranous labyrinth; potassium ion concentration is greater than sodium ion concentration; similar to intracellular fluid

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24
Q

what is perilymph?

A

between bony and membranous labyrinths; sodium ion concentration is greater than potassium ion concentration; similar to extracellular fluid

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25
Q

what is the purpose of labyrinths?

A

transduce sound waves and head movements into electrical signals

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26
Q

what does the vestibule contain?

A

membranous oval window and utricle & saccule

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27
Q

what is the purpose of the vestibule?

A

information about head tilting and linear movement

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28
Q

what is the utricle & saccule?

A

two parts of membranous labyrinth that contain receptor cells

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29
Q

what are semicircular canals?

A

three tubes of membranous labyrinth

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30
Q

list the semicircular ducts

A

anterior, posterior, and lateral

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31
Q

what is the purpose of the semicircular ducts?

A

detect rotational movement of head in any body plane

32
Q

what is the ampulla?

A

enlarged bulb at base of each duct that contains receptor cells

33
Q

what is the round window?

A

membrane-covered opening on the cochlea

34
Q

what are the parts of the cochlea?

A

cochlear duct (scala media), scala vestibuli, scala tympani, and vestibular membrane, basilar membrane, and spiral organ (organ of Corti)

35
Q

what separates the middle and inner ear?

A

cochlea

36
Q

what is the cochlear duct (scala media)?

A

spiral-shaped segment of membranous labyrinth

37
Q

what are the chambers of the cochlea?

A

scala vestibuli and scala tympani

38
Q

what is the vestibular membrane?

A

epithelium; boundary between cochlear duct and scala vestibuli

39
Q

what is the basilar membrane?

A

collagenous connective tissue

40
Q

what is the purpose of the vestibular membrane?

A

separates endolymph from perilymph; maintains homeostasis of each fluid

41
Q

what is the purpose of the basilar membrane?

A

separates cochlear duct and scala tympani; detects variations in sound pitch

42
Q

what is the spiral organ (organ of Corti)?

A

within cochlear duct and supported by basilar membrane

43
Q

what is the purpose of spiral organ (organ of Corti)?

A

contains receptor cells for hearing; converts sound waves into electrical impulses; allows for transfer of sound wave energy to region where vibrations can be transduced

44
Q

what are sound waves?

A

generated by displacement of air molecules in response to moving object

45
Q

pitch =

A

frequency

46
Q

what is frequency measured in?

A

Hertz

47
Q

what is the hearing range for a human?

A

between 20-20,000 Hertz

48
Q

loudness =

A

amplitude

49
Q

what is amplitude measured in?

A

decibels

50
Q

what is pitch?

A

how many times object vibrates back and forth during certain period; determined by which area of basilar membrane vibrates

51
Q

what is loudness?

A

difference between areas of high and low pressure; determined by how much basilar membrane vibrates

52
Q

what is the transmission of sound?

A

auricle – auditory canal – tympanic membrane – vibration – ossicles – oval window – vibration of oval window – waves in fluid (mostly perilymph)

53
Q

high frequency vibrations in the inner ear travel where?

A

shortcut through cochlear duct to reach scala tympani; cause endolymph and basilar membrane to vibrate

54
Q

low frequency vibrations travel where?

A

further into the cochlea where basilar membrane is wider and more flexible

55
Q

very low frequency sound waves travel where?

A

tip of the cochlea where scala vestibuli is connected to scala tympani at helicotrema (opening)

56
Q

what part is essential for allowing fluid to move within the inner ear?

A

round window

57
Q

what is the inner ear function?

A

oval window – perilymph of vestibule – scala vestibuli of cochlea – high or low vibrations

58
Q

what are hair cells?

A

receptor cells within spiral organ that are grouped into inner and outer hair cells

59
Q

what are inner hair cells?

A

form single row of cells and primarily responsible for detecting sound

60
Q

what are outer hair cells?

A

three rows of cells

61
Q

the action of sound with hair cells

A

vibration of basilar membrane causes hair cells to move at tectorial membrane – stereocilia bend as they bump into tectorial membrane – opens potassium ion channels to depolarize hair cell

the basilar membrane moves up toward the tectorial membrane, bending the stereocilia toward the tallest stereocilium – bending the stereocilia opens potassium channels that depolarize the hair cell – the depolarized hair cell releases neurotransmitters, triggering action potentials in the axon of the cochlear nerve

62
Q

what is the tectorial membrane?

A

stiff structure that extends over hair cells

63
Q

what is stereocilia?

A

microvilli; arranged from longest to shortest and flex at their junction with hair cell body

64
Q

what is the auditory pathway?

A

action potentials propagate through axons of the cochlear portion of the vestibulocochlear nerve to the cochlear nuclei at the medulla-pons junction – axons from the cochlear nuclei synapse on the superior olivary nucleus in the pons – auditory stimuli are then sent to the inferior colliculus of the midbrain – the auditory stimuli are relayed to the medial geniculate nucleus of the thalamus – the thalamus stimulates neurons of the primary auditory cortex in the superior portion of the temporal lobe

65
Q

what is the sense of equilibrium?

A

depends on input from the visual system, proprioceptors in muscles and joints, and vestibular system

66
Q

what are the 2 types of equilibrium?

A

static and dynamic

67
Q

what is static equilibrium?

A

maintaining balance when head is tilted but head and body are not moving

68
Q

what is dynamic equilibrium?

A

maintaining balance when head or body is undergoing rotational or angular motions or linear acceleration

69
Q

what is macula?

A

receptor cells for head position and movement

70
Q

as stereocilia bend toward the kinocilium –

A

the hair cells depolarize and release more glutamate

71
Q

as stereocilia bend away from the kinocilium –

A

the hair cells hyperpolarize and release less glutamate

72
Q

when head turns –

A

the endolymph lags behind and moves in the opposite direction from the way the head turns; this pushes on the cupula, which depolarizes the hair cells and produces more glutamate

73
Q

when head stops turning –

A

the endolymph continues to move in the same direction as the head was turned, which hyperpolarizes the hair cells and produces less glutamate

74
Q

vestibular sensation pathway

A

action potentials propagate to the vestibular nuclei located at the medulla-pons junction – the vestibular nuclei relay the signals simultaneously to the following areas of the CNS: the thalamus and then the inferior parietal lobe, for conscious awareness of head position and movement
the cranial nerve nuclei, to coordinate eye movement in response to head movement
the cerebellum and spinal cord, to coordinate muscle movement that maintains balance in response to head movement

75
Q

what is the vestibular system?

A

vestibule & semicircular canals; provide info about head position and movement

76
Q

what are otoliths?

A

calcium carbonate crystals that increase membrane density