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NSB Anatomy > Ear & Auditory Canal > Flashcards

Ear & Auditory Canal Flashcards

1
Q
A
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2
Q

What are the two parts of the external ear?

A

Cartilaginous auricle

Cartilaginous & bony canal = external acoustic meatus

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3
Q

What is the function of the external ear?

A

To capture and funnel/transmit sound to the external acoustic meatus

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4
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5
Q

Where is the external acoustic meatus housed?

A

In the tympanic part of the temporal bone

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6
Q

What is the boundary between the external and middle ear?

A

Tympanic membrane

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7
Q

What attaches the tympanic membrane to the temporal bone?

A

A fibrocartilaginous ring

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8
Q

Which of the ossicles attaches to the tympanic membrane?

A

Handle of the malleus

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9
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10
Q

What are the two parts of the middle ear?

A

Tympanic cavity

Epitympanic recess

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11
Q

Where is the tympanic cavity?

A

In the petrous part of the temporal bone

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12
Q

What is the function of the middle ear?

A

To transmit sound as a vibration via the ossicles

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13
Q

How does the tympanic cavity communicate with the nasopharynx?

A

Via the pharyngotympanic tube (aka Eustachian tube)

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14
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15
Q

What are the boundaries of the middle ear?

A

Roof
Floor
Lateral wall
Posterior wall
Anterior wall
Labyrinthine / medial wall

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16
Q

What is beneath the floor of the tympanic cavity?

A

Mastoid air cells
IJV

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17
Q

Which nerve enters the tympanic cavity through its floor?

A

CN IX (tympanic branch)

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18
Q

What is found on the lateral wall of the tympanic cavity?

A

Tympanic membrane & epitympanic recess

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19
Q

Which nerve runs through the middle ear via the posterior wall?

A

CN VII (via nervus intermedius to chorda tympani)

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20
Q

What does the chorda tympani do?

A

Innervates taste to the anterior 2/3rds of the tongue

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21
Q
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22
Q

What are the three ossicle bones?

A

Malleus (hammer)
Incus (anvil)
Stapes (stirrup)

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23
Q

What type of joint exists between the ossicles?

A

Synovial joints

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24
Q

Which of these ossicles is the

(A) Malleus

(B) Incus

(C) Stapes

Dont label individual parts

A
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25
26
What are the two muscles of the middle ear?
Tensor tympani Stapedius
27
What does the tensor tympani muscle do?
Reduces vibration of the tympanic membrane.
28
What does the tensor tympani articulate with?
Handle of the malleus
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Which nerve innervates the tensor tympani?
CN V (3 - Mandibular)
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Which nerve innervates the stapedius?
Facial nerve proper (CN VII)
31
What does the stapedius muscle articulate with?
Neck of the stapes
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What does the stapedius do?
Reduces vibration of the stapes of the oval window
33
What is the function of the pharyngotympanic tube?
To equalise pressure in the middle ear and the external environment (via the nasopharynx)
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What is the name of the manoeuvre done to equalise pressure in the ears?
Valsava manoeuvre
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What is the pharyngotympanic tube made of?
1/3 bone (proximally to tympanic cavity) 2/3 cartilage (distal)
37
What is the inner ear made of?
Bony cavities and membranous ducts
38
Where does the inner ear communicate with the posterior cranial fossa?
Via the internal acoustic meatus
39
What is the function of the inner ear?
Converts mechanical sound into electrical AND Converts movement (via mechanical stimulus) into electrical signals
40
Which nerves pass through the internal acoustic meatus?
VII & VIII
41
What is the inner ear made of?
Bony labyrinth Membranous labyrinth
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What does the bony labyrinth contain?
Perilymph
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What does the membranous labyrinth contain?
Endolymph
45
What are the three parts of the inner ear?
The vestibule Cochlea Semicircular canals
46
What does the cochlea do?
Converts sound waves to electrical impulses
47
What are semicircular canals responsible for?
Balance
48
Where is the posterior wall of the middle ear?
Towards the back of the head.
49
Where is the anterior wall of the middle ear?
Towards the front of the head
50
Which wall contains the opening to the Eustachian tube?
The anterior wall
51
Which wall has the empitympanic recess?
Roof
52
What does the base of the stapes rest on?
The oval window
53
What does the oval window do?
Transfers vibrations to the inner ear.
54
What is the outside of the inner ear comprised of?
Bony labyrinth
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What is the inside of the inner ear comprised of?
Membranous labyrinth
56
What is the order of lymph in the ear?
Bony labyrinth contains perilymph which contains membranous labyrinth which contains endolymph.
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What are the three parts of the cochlea?
Scala vesibuli Cochlear duct Scala tympani
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What is the Scala vestibuli connected to?
The middle ear through the oval window
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What does the Scala vestibuli connect to?
The middle ear through the oval window
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What does the Scala vestibuli do?
Sound travels through the ossicles and passes through the oval window to the Scala vestibuli. This causes motion which transmits through the fluid in the scala vestibuli and transmits to the organs of court inside the cochlea duct.
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What is the cochlear duct filled with?
Endolymph
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What does the cochlear duct house?
The organ of corti
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What does the organ of corti do?
Contains hearing receptors / hair cells - these convert vibrations into electrical impulses and send the information to the brain via the auditory branch of CN VIII.
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What does the Scala tympani do?
The perilymph inside the Scala tympani is set in motion by the sound waves that hit the cochlear duct. This makes it bulge through the round window back into the middle ear - relieving the pressure in the inner ear.
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What does the vestibular apparatus contain?
3 semi-circular canals + utricle + saccule
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What angles are the semi-circular canals at?
90 ° from each other.
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What are the semi-circular canals called?
Anterior Posterior & Lateral Semi-circular canals
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What do the semi-circular canals contain?
Membranous semi-circular ducts containing endolymph.
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What do the semi circular canals open into?
The utricle
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What is the enlarged portion of the semicircular canal called?
Ampulla
71
What does the ampulla do?
Contains balance hair receptors - detect changes in head rotation
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What are changes in head rotation known as?
Dynamic equilibrium
73
Balance hair receptors send electrical signals via which nerve?
The vestibular branch of CN VIII
74
What do the utricle and saccule do?
Both have a region called the macula - contains balance receptors - which detect changes in static equilibrium.
75
What is static equilibrium v. dynamic equilibrium
Static equilibrium = changes in head position Dynamic equilibrium = changes in head rotation
76
Where is the inner ear found?
Petrous part of the temporal bone - between middle ear (laterally) and internal acoustic meatus (medially)
77
What are the semi circular canals + cochlea referred to as?
The vestibulocochlear organ
78
What are the following covered by? - Oval window - Round window
Oval window = base of the stapes Round window = secondary tympanic membrane
79
What is the ampulla of the semi-circular canals lined with?
Sensory epithelium which contains hair cells
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What is maculae?
Sensory epithelium - found in the utricle and saccule
83
Which movement does the utricle detect?
Horizontal plane movement
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Which movement does the saccule detect?
Vertical plane
85
What is the apex of the cochlea known as?
The helicotrema
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What holds the cochlear duct in place?
Spiral ligament
89
What separates the cochlear duct from the Scala vestibuli above?
Vestibular membrane
90
What separates the cochlear duct from the scala tympani below?
Basilar membrane
91
What does the spiral organ (organ of Corti) lie on in the cochlear duct?
The basilar membrane
92
What does movement of perilymph do to the basilar membrane in the cochlear duct?
Causes it to move - causes hair receptors to move = electrical impulses.
93
What is the membrane in the spiral organ and what is it covered in?
The tectorial membrane Covered in stereocilia
94
Where is the spiral ganglion found?
At the base of the lamina of modiolus
95
What do spiral ganglia axons unit to form?
The cochlear part of CN VIII
96
What does the cochlear nerve travel with?
The vestibular nerve
97
What do the cochlear and vestibular nerves pass through?
Petrous bone
98
What does VIII enter the posterior cranial fossa via?
The internal acoustic meatus.
99
Where are the cochlear nerve nuclei found?
In medulla oblongata
100
Where do the cochlear nerve impulses travel?
Cochlear nerve -> nuclei in (dorsal and ventral) medulla oblongata --> midbrain (inferior colliculus) --> thalamic medial geniculate nucleus --> auditory cortex in temporal lobe
101
What Brodman area is the auditory cortex?
41 & 42
102
In which lobe is the auditory Cortex found?
Temporal lobe
103
What are the organs of balance in the semicircular canals known as?
Cristae ampullaris
104
What are the three planes of movement that the semicircular canals detect?
Anterior/coronal Posterior/sagittal Horizontal/lateral - transverse plane
105
Semicircular canals open into ? via ? and which? end of each canal?
Into utricle Via ampulla Distal end of each canal
106
How do endolymph movements cause electrical signals in the semicircular canals?
Endolymph movement distorts the cupula. Stereocilia and kinocilium are embedded in the cupula. Movement of these hair cells = electrical signal to fire in vestibular nerve
107
What is the membrane in the utricle and saccule?
Otolithic membrane
108
What does the otolithic membrane contain?
Otoliths and gelatinous mass (which contain stereocilia and single kinocilium).
109
How are nerve impulses generated in the utricle and saccule?
Endolymph movement distorts the otolithic membrane - movement of the hair cells causes electrical signal to fire in the vestibular nerve division.
110
What does CN VIII divide into?
Inferior and superior divisions.
111
Which division of CNVIII innervates the utricle, superior & horizontal/lateral semi-circular canals?
Superior division
112
Which division of CNVIII innervates the saccule?
The inferior division
113
Which division of the CNVIII innervates the posterior semi-circular canal?
Singular nerve
114
Where does the vestibular nerve travel to?
To nuclei (superior, inferior, medial & lateral) in the medulla oblongata and the pons. Then they travel via different pathways - vestibulospinal, vestibulocerebellar, vestibuloocular reflexes.
115
A = internal auditory canal with 7th & 8th cranial nerves B = pons C = external auditory canal D = cochlea E = C2

NSB Anatomy (6 decks)

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