Microanatomy Flashcards
what is the auditory system
It is a specialised sensory system that detects changes in sound wave pressure.
what does the auditory system comprise of
cochlea, its nerve and the pathway to the auditory cortex in the temporal lobe
what frequencies can the auditory system detect
20Hz-20Khz
how are sounds detected
- they are detected by both ears
- in order to locate the sound the sound complex inhibitory circuit is used between the two ears in order to magnify differences in timing and intensity of the sounds
what are the 3 main regions of the ear
- outer
- middle
- inner ear
what does the outer ear do
- it collects sound waves and channels them to the middle ear
what does the middle ear do
- converts the sound pressure waves to vibration of the fluid in the inner ear by movement of the oval window.
- This is accomplished by 3 small bones.
what does the inner ear do
- houses the hearing and balance receptors
what do the different parts of the ear do
- outer - it collects sound waves and channels them to the middle ear
- inner - houses the hearing and balance receptors
- middle – converts the sound pressure waves to vibration of the fluid in the inner ear by movement of the oval window.
where are the hearing and balance receptors
- the hearing receptors - located within the cochlea
- balance receptors are located in the semicircular canals and vestibule
what is the membranous labyrinth
it is a delicate continuous membrane suspended within the bony labyrinth, creating a second chamber within the first in the cochlear
what are the three fluid spaces in the cochlea
- scala vestibuli
- scala tympani
- cochlea duct
describe the scala vestiboli and scala tympani
- enclosed in bone
- contain perilymph
- continous with each other at the apex which is known as the helicotrema
what does the cochlea duct contain
- contains the endolymph and is part of the membranous labyrinth
what does the vestibular membrane do
A delicate Vestibular (Reissner) membrane separates scala vestibuli from the cochlea duct
what does the basilar membrane do
Basilar membrane separates scala tympani from the cochlea duct.
what does the spiral organ consist of
- consists of inner and outer hair cells and supporting cells
describe inner hair cells
- arranged in a single row and have a 1:1 relationship with auditory neurones and play a major role in auditory discrimination
describe the structure of outer hair cells
- increase from 3 rows at the base to 5 rows at the apex,
- receive synapses from a large number of auditory afferents - this helps sharpen the frequency tuning of the cochlea
what do hair cells have
sterocillia
what do sterocilia do
- they have there tips embedded in the overlying tectorial membrane
- when the basilar membrane is in motion the sterocilia bend causing changes in the membrane potential and cause action potential firing
describe how sound transduction takes place
- sound waves are collected by the outer ear and channeled to the tympanic membrane
- When sound waves are transmitted from the tympanic membrane along the middle ear ossicles it causes the stapes to vibrate the oval window
- The stapes vibrates in response to vibrations of the eardrum, setting the perilymph fluid of the inner ear in motion
- The round window serves as a pressure valve, bulging outward as pressure rises in the inner ear. When this moves inwards, the round window moves outwards & vice versa
- Because of the size (area) differential between the tympanic memnbrane and oval window, sound is amplified four fold in the middle ear
- Soundwaves are converted into perilymphatic pressure, which is transmitted through the vestibular membrane to the basilar membrane
- Because the cochlear duct sits on the basilar membrane, it too is set into motion, stimulating auditory receptors located on this membrane
where does the tonotpic map of sound frequency occur
occurs along the basilar membrane
how does the size of the basilar membrane increase
- the width of the membrane increases in size in the direction from the base to the apex
- ## narrow end is taught while the wider end is more flexible
how does the basilar membrane respond to pitch
- the highest frequencies set the narrow base end resonating while the lower frequencies set apex in motion
how is the loudness of the sound determined by
- by the intensity of the sound waves
greater intensity causes…
greater vibration of the basilar membrane and hence greater activation of spiral ganglion cells
where are the cell bodies of the cochlear nerve found
- found in the spiral ganglion