Hearing Anatomy + Physiology Flashcards

1
Q

Another word for hearing is?

A

Audition

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Purpose of the ear?

A

To conduct energy

The ear will convert acoustic energy into electrochemical energy so that the brain can process the information

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What are the 3 main parts of the ear?

A

Outer Ear

Middle Ear

Inner Ear

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Outer Ear Parts

A

Pinna or Auricle - outermost portion of the outer ear

Pinna Transmits sound to the middle and inner ears, and to localize sound

You can hear without the pinna

Lobe or lobule
Concha Cava - entrance to the ear
Outer Ear - air filled

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

The entire outer ear is comprised of ?

A

Cartilage

Except for the lobule - composed of fat and connective tissue

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Medial to the concha cava is the ?

A

EAM

External Auditory Meatus or ear canal

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Together, the concha cava + EAM help with what?

A

Transmission of sound to the middle and inner ear

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

External Auditory Meatus

A

Later 1/3 is made of cartilage

Medial 2/3 forms the bony meatus of the temporal bone

Terminates @ Tympanic Membrane

Contains cilia (small hairs) + cerumen (ear wax)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Cerumen

A

Protects the ear from dryness + intrusion of bugs/other foreign bodies

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Tympanic Membrane

A

Boundary b/w the outer and middle ears

Transmits sound to the 3 ossicles or bones (AKA ossicular chain) of the middle ear.

These bones are medial to the TM

Sound enters the Outer Ear and then reaches the TM, setting it into vibration

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

3 ossicles or bones of the middle ear

A

Malleus, incus, stapes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Ossicular Chain

A

Delivers vibrations to inner ear + helps protect the inner ear from excessively loud vibrations

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Middle ear is filled with what

A

Air

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Middle Ear Bones: malleus

A

Most lateral point of attachment for the tympanic membrane

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

middle ear bones: incus (anvil)

A

lies medial

in between the malleus and stapes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Stapes

A

Most medial of the 3 bones - the smallest

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Articulation of middle ear bones

A

Malleus + incus articulate by means of saddle joint

will move as 1 unit when the TM vibrates/moves

Stapes - it’s footplate fills the oval window which is a part of the inner ear

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

2 muscles of the inner ear

A

Stapedius + Tensor Tympani

Both are attached to the ossicular chain

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Purpose of the middle ear muscles

A

to damp or reduce the vibration of the ossicular chain

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Stapedius (middle ear muscle)

A

O: Bone of the posterior wall of the middle ear

C: Anterior

I: posterior crus of stapes

F: pulls stapes posteriorly to damp/reduce the vibration of the ossicular chain

21
Q

Tensor tympani (middle ear muscle)

A

O: embedded in the anterior wall of the middle ear
C: posteriorly
I: malleus
F: pulls malleus anteromedially to stiffen the entire ossicular chain (damps or reduces vibration)

22
Q

Middle Ear Landmarks - Medial wall

A

Medial wall of the middle ear

1) Oval Window: part of the inner ear. articulates with the footplate of the stapes. allows fluid in inner ear to move

2)round window: inferior to oval window. allows fluid in inner ear to move

23
Q

Middle Ear Landmarks: anterior wall of middle ear

A

Eustachian Tube - brings O2 to middle ear to maintain balance/equilibrium and to balance the pressure in the middle ear with atmospheric pressure

24
Q

Middle Ear Landmarks: posterior wall + floor of the middle ear

A

Mastoid Air Cells: irregularly shaped, hollowed out spaces in the temporal bone. They lighten the weight of the skull + are important in the conduction of sound through bone

25
Q

Inner Ear

A

Unlike the outer/middle ears, the inner ear is filled with different types of fluids

At this point, the acoustic signal is transported through fluid to CN VIII, the Auditory Cranial Nerve, for processing by the barin

It is embedded within the petrous portion of the TEMPORAL BONE

26
Q

Inner Ear Landmarks: oval + round windows

A

Oval + Round Windows - lateral wall of the inner ear. Oval window will vibrate when stapes moves - this action will cause the fluid of the inner ear to be set into motion

Semicircular Canals - important for balance/equilibrium. Fluid-filled, line with cilia

27
Q

Inner Ear: Cochlea

A

Looks like a coiled snail shell

Primary organ of hearing

28
Q

What lies within the cochlea?

A

Scala Vestibuli and Scala Tympani - form two incomplete chambers in the cochlea. They are separated by a bony shelf called the SPIRAL LAMINA

The spiral lamina serves as a point of attachment for the scale media which houses the sensory organ for hearing - the organ of Corti

29
Q

Scala Media

A

Lies within the cochlea

separates the scala vestibuli and scala tympani

30
Q

Helicotrema

A

Within the cochlea (inner ear)

Point where the scala tympani and scala vestibuli meet. The scala tympani and scala vestibuli communicate with each other via the helicotrema

31
Q

Basilar Membrane

A

Lies within the cochlea

Forms the floor of the scala media

The organ of Corti rests on the basilar membrane

Cochlea is filled with fluid

32
Q

Inner Ear - Scala Vestibuli + Scala Tympani, scala media

A

Scala Vestibuli + Scala Tympani - the type of fluid found in these chambers is PERILYMPH

Scala Media - the type of fluid found here is endolymph

Acoustic energy moves through the outer/middle ears and is transmitted through these fluids

33
Q

Inner Ear - Organ of Corti

A

Within the cochlea

Housed in the scala media and rests on the basilar membrane

contains inner and outer hair cells

34
Q

Inner + Outer Hair Cells

A

Inner hair cells (IHC) and outer hair cells (OHC) respond to different aspects of the acoustic signal

35
Q

Frequency range for the human auditory mechanism

A

10 octaves, from about 20 to 20,000 Hz

Auditory stimuli can range from whisper to rock concert

36
Q

Frequency

A

psychological correlate of pitch

Recorded in Hz

37
Q

Loudness

A

psychological correlate of intensity

Recorded in decibels

38
Q

Hearing Physiology - audiogram

A

During an audiological evaluation, the audiologist presents tons of different frequencies and loudness levels

The results - that is, how the patient responds - is recorded on an audiogram

39
Q

Hearing Physiology

A

Cochlea is the organ of audition in the inner ear

Recall that the outer and middle ear will funnel in sound

Sound travels through air in these two parts of the inner

Sound travels through fluid-filled inner ear

Cochlea changes the auditory signal into neural impulses that are transmitted to the brain for proessing, via CN VII (Auditory Nerve)

Being aware that you heard something, and interpreting what you heard, are both processed by the brain - your ear has nothing to do with this!

40
Q

Hearing Physiology IHC + OHC

A

The organ of Corti contains inner hair cells (IHC) and outer hair cells (OHC). These functioning differently from one another

41
Q

ICH Inner Hair Cells (Organ of Corti)

A

Respond to different frequencies of an incoming auditory signal. They help the cochlea process complex sound for frequency, intensity, and other temporal aspects

42
Q

OHC Outer Hair Cells (Organ of Corti)

A

Help regulate hearing sensitivity for less intense (softer) sounds. They will amplify softer sounds that aids in awareness of interpretation

43
Q

Damage to Hair Cells Results in

A

Permanent sensory hearing loss

The most common cause of this loss is from excessive noise exposure

  • concerts, NASCAR, NFL games and other sporting arenas, hunting, etc.

The cochlea is unable to generate new hair cells; therefore, once these cells are damaged, damage is irreversible as the cells cannot regenerate

44
Q

Auditory Signal Traveling to Brain

A

Auditory information is transmitted from the organ of Corti to the CN VIII

Along CN VIII, there are several areas or processing stations that are important in the processing of auditory information

  1. Superior Olivary Nucleus
  2. Lateral Lemniscus
  3. Inferior Colliculus
  4. Primary Auditory Cortex
    Heschel’s gyrus and Wernicke’s Area
45
Q

Superior Olivary Nucleus

A

Integrates information received from both ears. This is the first place the auditory system where binaural processing (stereo hearing) is possible

46
Q

Lateral Lemniscus

A

Important in sound localization

47
Q

Inferior Colliculus

A

Located in the brainstem.

Important in the integration and localization of sound

48
Q

Primary Auditory Cortex

A

Located in the temporal lobe

Usually the left for most people who are right-handed.

49
Q
A