GA: Vestibular System Flashcards

1
Q

The vestibular system is essential for producing what?

A

Motor responses necessary for daily function

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2
Q

The vestibular system is divided into 5 components. What does the peripheral receptor apparatus do?

A

They are in the inner ear and transduce head motion/position

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3
Q

The peripheral receptor apparatus, central vestibular nuclei, vestibuloocular network, vestibulospinal network, and vestibulothalamocortical network all makeup what?

A

The vestibular system

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4
Q

What do the central vestibular nuclei do?

A

They are in the brainstem and control motor activites + spatial orientation

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5
Q

What does the vestibuloocular network do?

A

Eye movements

Allows you to keep a fixed gaze on an object while the head is moving (ex. reading a sign while driving)

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6
Q

What does the vestibulospinal network do?

A

Coordinates head movements, axial musculature, + postural reflexes

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7
Q

What does the vestibulothalamocortical network do?

A

Conscious perception of movement/spatial orientation

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8
Q

What is your vestibular system?

A

The vestibular system is a collection of structures in your inner ear that provides you with your sense of balance and an awareness of your spatial orientation,meaning a sense of whether you are right-side up or upside-down.

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9
Q

The vestibular labryinth is made up of?

A

Bony labyrinth (perilymph ~ CSF)

Membranous labyrinth (endolymph)

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10
Q

Semicircular canals measure what type of movement?

A

Rotational head mvmt (angular acceleration)

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11
Q

Otolith organs (utricle, saccule) measure what type of movement?

A

Translational head movements (linear acceleration)

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12
Q

Receptor cells in vestibular organs are innervated by what afferent fibers?

A

Afferent fibers of the vestibular ganglion (Scarpa ganglion)

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13
Q

What is the blood supply to the vestibular system?

A

Labryinthine A.

Stylomastoid A. (semicircular canals)

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14
Q

If you have an interruption of the labyrinthine A. this will cause what?

A

Vertigo

Nystagmus

(mess up vestibular + cochlear function)

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15
Q

What are some components in the membranous labyrinth?

A

Ampulla (the end of ducts)

Utricle + Saccule

Ductus reuniens (connects saccule to cochlea)

Endolymphatic duct (drains sinus)

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16
Q

What causes Meniere’s Disease?

A

The endolymph volume is messed up –> causing endolymphatic hydrops (abnormal distention of membranous labyrinth)

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17
Q

What are the symptoms of Meniere’s Disease?

A

Hearing loss, Vertigo, Tinnitus, Vomitting/Nausea

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18
Q

How do you treat Meniere’s Disease?

A

Diuretic + salt resticted diet to reduce the endolymphatic hydrops

(might put a shunt in)

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19
Q

What are the vestibular sensory receptors?

A

Hair cells w/ stereocilia + kinocilium

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20
Q

Type 1 hair cell =

A

nerve calyx

(central)

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21
Q

Type 2 hair cell =

A

Cilinder + innervated by synaptic boutans

(peripheral)

22
Q

Where are crista + sensory receptors located?

A

In the ampulla

(where each duct ends in a prominent enlargement)

23
Q

How does the ampulla (semicircular canals) work?

A

Rotational head mvmts produce angular accelerations –> endolymph displaced –> pushes cupula to one side or another –> displaces stereocilia in same directions

24
Q

What is found in the macula (utricle + saccule)?

A

Otolith membrane (hair cells entend into)

Calcium carbonate crystals (otoconia)

25
Q

How does the macula work?

A

Changes in head postion relative to gravity/linear accelerations displace otoconia, which bends underlying hair cell stereocilia

26
Q

Where are the vestibular nuclei located?

*process postionsal + mvmt info for control of visual + postural reflexes

A

superior = pons

medial = 4th ventricle

inferior = medulla

27
Q

What is the only snesory organ in the body that sends direct primary afferent projections to the cerebellar cortex + nuclei?

A

Cerebellum

28
Q

What type of fibers go through the juxtaresiform body (inferior cerebellar peduncle)?

A

Primary vestibulocerebellar fibers

(send collaterals to the dentate nucleus and terminate as mossy fibers)

29
Q

Secondary vestibulocerebellar projections are what?

A

When vestibular nuclei send fibers to fastigal + dentate nuclei

30
Q

Vestibulvestibular fibers come from?

A

Vestibular nuclei

31
Q

Spinovestibular fibers come from?

A

SC

32
Q

How are you able to read a sign on a building while walking down the street?

A

Vestibuloocular reflex (stabilizing eye mvmts)

33
Q

How would you describe the vestibuloocular reflex?

A

Compensatory

(eye muscles must be controoled in unison – horizontal)

34
Q

How does the rotational (horizontal) vestibuloocular reflex occur?

A

Head looks one way & eyes look opposite

  1. MLF –> cont. abducens nucleus
  2. Abducens–> Ipsi. lateral rectus M.
  3. Abducens –> cont. oculomotor nucleus (medial rectus)
35
Q

Example of leftward head turn:

(Horizontal/Rotational Vestibuloocular Reflex)

A
  1. Left horizontal semicircular canal activates neurons in left vestibular nuclei
  2. Commissural neurons decrease inhibition signals from right vestibular nuclei
  3. Neurons in left vestibular nuclei excite contralateral abducens motor neurons
  4. Produces contraction in right lateral rectus + left medial rectus
  5. Compensatory rightward eye mvmt keeps the object of interest on the fovea
36
Q

What is nystagmus?

A

Combination of slow phases punctuated by fast return phases

37
Q

What do you use to test patients complaining of dizziness or vertigo in the vestibular labyrinth?

A

The caloric test

(put warm + cold water into external auditory canal)

38
Q

What is the COWS finding of the caloric test for the membranous labyrinth?

A

Cold water = nystagmus beating to Opp. side

Warm water = nystagmus beating to Same side

*this = a normal finding of the vestibuloocular reflex

39
Q

The lateral and medial vestibulospinal tracts are part of what?

A

Vestibulospinal network

40
Q

In the lateral vestibulospinal tract (postural control), where do these neurons go?

anterorostral areas:

posterocaudal areas:

A

anterorostral –> cervical cord

Posterocaudal –> lumbosacral cord

41
Q

What is the function of the medial vestibulospinal tract?

A

Stabilizes neck

42
Q

The vestibular thalamus gets information for spatial orientation –> so they need proprioception. Meaning they have nuclei where?

A

VPL + VPI

43
Q

What do areas 2v + 3a do in the vestibular cortex?

A

Primary somatosensory cortex

44
Q

What is area 7 of the vestibular cortex?

A

Parietal cortex –> spatial awareness

45
Q

A lesion of the PIVS (Insular areas of lateral sulcus + parietoinsular vestibular cortex) does what?

A

Vertigo, unsteadiness

46
Q

What does the prefrontal cortex + superior frontal gyrus control?

A

Frontal eye field + smooth pursuit eye mvmts

47
Q

How would you describe dizziness?

A

Nonspecific

Spatial disorientation, nausea

48
Q

How would you describe vertigo?

A

Can be specific/nonspecific

An illusion of body motion (spinning)

Roller coaster

49
Q

What is benign paroxysmal postional vertigo?

A

Brief epidoes of vertigo that correspond w/ changes in body position.

50
Q

What causes benign paroxysmal postitional vertigo?

A

Cupulolithiasis

Otoconial crystals from utricle separate from otolith membrane + become lodges in cupula of semicircular canal

51
Q

A benign tumor that originates from Schwann cells of the vestibular root =

A

Vestibular Schwanoma

52
Q

Vestibular Neuritis is thought to result from?

A

edema of the vestibular nerve (maybe from viral infection – herpes)

-severe vertigo, nausea, vomiting, but NO hearing loss