Ears Jeopardy

Question 1

What is outermost ear structure consisting of skin and cartilage?

Answer 1

the pinna

Question 2

What is the name of the sensory receptors found both in the cochlea and the semicircular canals?

Answer 2

hair cells

Question 3

Which part of the vestibular system is responsible for determining the position of our head?

Answer 3

otolith organs

Question 4

What structure receives vibrations from the stapes?

Answer 4

the oval window

Question 5

Where are the auditory neurons located?

Answer 5

the organ of corti

Question 6

Which type of sound will maximally displace the hair cells on the near end of the basilar membrane?

Answer 6

high-pitched sounds

Question 7

Which midbrain structure helps to orient us in the case of a strong sound stimuli that could mean danger?

Answer 7

inferior colliculus

Question 8

How does transduction in the auditory system differ from all other neurons discussed?

Answer 8

influx of K+ causes depolarization

Question 9

What do we call the process of when the muscles of the ear tighten in response to loud sounds to reduce the vibrations of the ossicles?

Answer 9

attenuation reflex

Question 10

What is the unusual feature of the hair cells that allows them to open and close K+ channels?

Answer 10

they are attached to mechanical springs

Question 11

Confusion between visual and vestibular messages in the brain results in which disorder?

Answer 11

motion sickness

Question 12

Damage to the middle ear results in which type of deafness?

Answer 12

conduction deafness

Question 13

What is the name for the disorder associated with a constant “ringing” in the ears?

Answer 13

tinnitus

Question 14

What are two ways nerve deafness can be caused?

Answer 14

DAMAGE TO INNER EAR
DAMAGE TO HAIR CELLS
DAMAGE TO AUDITORY NERVE

Question 15

A loss in flexibility of the basilar membrane can result in which disorder?

Answer 15

presbycusis

Question 16

In regards to the action potentials that occur in the hair cells versus other neurons, what is one important difference from the way in which action potentials fire?

Answer 16

MECHANICAL SIGNAL CONVERTS TO ELECTRICAL (no CHEMICAL step)

Question 17

List the pathway for sound to reach the ear starting with the PINNA and ending with the BASILAR MEMBRANE.

Answer 17

PINNA → AUDITORY CANAL → TYMPANIC MEMBRANE (EARDRUM) → OSSICLES → OVAL WINDOW → Basilar membrane of COCHLEA

Question 18

At what region do axons of the auditory nerve first enter the brain?

Answer 18

medulla

Question 19

How is the mechanical energy of a sound wave transformed into an electrical impulse?

Answer 19

Mechanical energy of the sound pushes the fluid in the cochlea which bends the hair cells of the basilar membrane

Question 20

Displacement of hair cell stereocilia initiates an excitatory signal by doing what?

Answer 20

causing an influx of K+

Question 21

What is the frequency range in which the average human can hear?

Answer 21

20Hz and 20,000Hz (or 20 KHz)

Question 22

What determines the loudness of a sound?

Answer 22

amplitude

Question 23

Which theory explains how we hear higher pitched sounds from the base of the basilar membrane?

Answer 23

place theory

Question 24

Sounds above our normal hearing range are referred to as

An example of an animal that can hear above our normal range is

Answer 24

ULTRASOUND

BAT/DOLPHIN

Question 25

This describes how different parts of the brain correspond to different locations (and thus frequencies) on the basilar membrane.

Answer 25

tonotopic map