Lecture 15: Special senses: hearing Flashcards
What is sound
Cyclical compression and rarefaction of air molecules causes a cyclical change in air pressure
Sound is characterized in the ___ and ___ domains
Spectral and temporal
What structures make up the outer ear
Pinna, ear canal, tympanic membrane
What structures make up the middle ear
Auditory ossicles- malleus, incus, stapes, tympanic bulla, eustacian tube
What structures make up the inner ear
Bony labyrinth- cochlea, utricle, semicircular canals, CN VIII
What is the purpose of the pinna
Funnel and conduct sound toward the meats and tympanic membrane
Besides hearing what is another function of the pinna/outer ear
Thermoregulation
Is the middle ear air or fluid filled
Air
What is the function of the eustachian tube
Maintain pressure equilibrium
What is the function of the ossicles
Optimal energy transfer
What is the function of the skeletal muscles attached to malleus (tensor tympani) and stapes (stapedius)
Reduce energy transfer when they contract, thus give protection from excessive noise
Is the inner ear fluid or air filled
Fluid
What function of the inner ear is the auditory portion
Cochlea
What two membranes make up the cochlea
- Basilar
- Reissner’s
What 3 chambers make up the inner ear
- Scalae
- Scala vestibuli
- Scala tympani
What fluid fills the scalae
Endolymph
The scalae is rich in what ion
K+
The Scala vestibuli and Scala tympani are filled with what fluid
Perilymph
What does the organ of corti contain
Contains the hair cells that are anchored to the basilar papilla
What is the gel-coated ridge that lies on the hair cells
Tectorial membrane
Hair cells synapse to sensory nerves from the cochlear nerve to…
CN VIII
What structure encodes for sound waves of different frequencies
Basilar membrane
The basilar membrane allows for ___ coding along the length of the membrane, which is known as ___
Spatial coding, tonotopic organization
What frequency is encoded closest to the stapes and oval window
High frequencies
What frequency is encoded farthest from the stapes and oval window
Low frequencies
Which membrane in the organ of corti is very stiff
Tectorial
Which membrane in the organ of corti is very flexible
Basilar