Exam 2: The Auditory and Vestibular Systems Flashcards
Auditory Cues
Auditory cues are sounds produced unintentionally by movements or environmental interactions that provide information about an organism’s surroundings, such as rustling leaves indicating movement.
Auditory Signals
Auditory signals are sounds produced intentionally for communication, such as a bird’s song to attract a mate or an alarm call to warn others of danger.
Echolocation
Echolocation is a process where an organism emits sound waves and interprets the returning echoes to navigate, detect objects, or locate prey, commonly used by bats and some marine mammals.
Sound Diffraction
Sound diffraction is the bending and spreading of sound waves around obstacles or through openings, allowing sounds to be heard even when the source is not directly visible.
Sound Waves
Vibrations that travel through air or another medium, perceived as sound when detected by the ear.
Frequency
The number of sound wave cycles per second, determining the pitch of a sound.
Amplitude
The height of a sound wave, determining the loudness of a sound.
Timbre
The quality of a sound that distinguishes it from other sounds of the same pitch and loudness.
The Outer Ear
The outermost part of the ear, including the pinna and auditory canal, responsible for capturing sound waves.
The Middle Ear
The part of the ear containing the ossicles, which amplify and transmit sound vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear.
The Inner Ear
The innermost part of the ear containing the cochlea and vestibular apparatus, responsible for converting sound into neural signals.
Pinna
The visible part of the outer ear that helps to direct sound waves into the ear canal.
Auditory Canal
A tube running from the outer ear to the eardrum, transmitting sound waves.
Tympanic Membrane
A thin membrane that vibrates in response to sound waves, transmitting the sound to the ossicles.
The Ossicles
Three small bones (malleus, incus, and stapes) that transmit sound vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear.
The Acoustic Reflex
A reflex that reduces the movement of the ossicles in response to loud sounds to protect the inner ear.
Tensor Tympani Muscle
A muscle that dampens sound vibrations by stiffening the malleus, reducing the amplitude of sound waves.
The Stapedius Muscle
A muscle that stabilizes the stapes bone, protecting the inner ear from loud sounds.
The Oval Window
A membrane-covered opening that connects the middle ear to the cochlea, transmitting sound vibrations.
The Round Window
A membrane that allows pressure equalization in the cochlea, assisting in the transmission of sound.
Cochlea
A spiral-shaped, fluid-filled structure in the inner ear that converts sound vibrations into neural signals.
Organ of Corti
The sensory organ within the cochlea containing hair cells that transduce sound vibrations into neural impulses.
Endolymph
A potassium-rich fluid in the cochlea and vestibular system essential for hearing and balance.
Basilar Membrane
A membrane in the cochlea that vibrates in response to sound, triggering hair cell activation.
Base of the Cochlea
The part of the cochlea near the oval window, responsible for detecting high-frequency sounds.
Apex of the Cochlea
The tip of the cochlea, responsible for detecting low-frequency sounds.
Hair Cells
Sensory cells in the cochlea that convert mechanical sound vibrations into electrical signals sent to the brain.
Inner Hair Cells
The primary hair cells responsible for sending auditory information to the brain.
Outer Hair Cells
Cells that amplify sound vibrations and enhance the sensitivity of the cochlea.
Mechanically-Gated Ion Channels
Ion channels in hair cells that open in response to mechanical deformation, allowing ions to flow and generate electrical signals.
Mechanotransduction
The process by which mechanical stimuli, such as sound waves, are converted into electrical signals by sensory cells.
Conductive Hearing Loss
Hearing loss caused by damage to the outer or middle ear, preventing sound from reaching the inner ear.
Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Hearing loss caused by damage to the inner ear or auditory nerve, preventing sound from being properly transmitted to the brain.
A Hearing Aid
A device that amplifies sound to assist individuals with hearing loss in hearing more clearly.
A Cochlear Implant
A surgically implanted device that directly stimulates the auditory nerve, bypassing damaged parts of the inner ear.
Spiral Ganglion
A group of nerve cells that send auditory information from the cochlea to the brain.
Vestibulocochlear Nerve
The eighth cranial nerve, responsible for transmitting sound and balance information from the ear to the brain.
Superior Olive
A brainstem nucleus involved in sound localization, especially detecting the direction of sounds.
Cochlear Nuclear Complex
A collection of nuclei in the brainstem that process auditory information from the cochlea.
Inferior Colliculus
A midbrain structure involved in auditory processing and reflexive responses to sound.
Medial Geniculate Body
A part of the thalamus that relays auditory information from the inferior colliculus to the auditory cortex.
Primary Auditory Cortex
The region of the brain that processes auditory information, located in the temporal lobe.
Tonotopic Organization
The spatial arrangement of sound frequency processing in the auditory system, with different frequencies represented in specific areas of the cochlea and cortex.
Dorsal Auditory Stream
A pathway in the brain involved in identifying where sounds are coming from, related to spatial localization.
Ventral Auditory Stream
A pathway in the brain involved in identifying what a sound is, such as recognizing speech or music.
Vestibular System
The sensory system that detects balance, movement, and spatial orientation.
Otolith Organs
Sensory organs in the vestibular system that detect linear acceleration and head position relative to gravity.
Saccule
A vestibular organ that detects vertical linear acceleration and head position changes.
Utricle
A vestibular organ that detects horizontal linear acceleration and head position changes.
Semicircular Canals
Fluid-filled structures in the vestibular system that detect rotational movements of the head.
Ampulla
The enlarged area at the base of each semicircular canal containing hair cells that detect head movement.
Cupula
A gelatinous structure in the ampulla that bends in response to head movement, activating hair cells.
Righting Reflex
A reflex that helps the body maintain balance and posture by correcting the position of the head and body in response to changes in orientation. It involves both head righting (vestibulocollic reflex) and body righting (vestibulospinal reflex).
Vestibulocollic Reflex
The vestibulocollic reflex (head righting reflex) generates neck muscle contractions to stabilize the head’s position relative to the body, helping to maintain a steady gaze and posture during movement.
Vestibulospinal Reflex
The vestibulospinal reflex (body righting reflex) generates limb and core muscle movements to maintain balance by adjusting muscle tone and posture in response to changes in head position or body tilt.
Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex
A reflex that stabilizes vision during head movement by causing the eyes to move in the opposite direction of the head.
