PBL 10 Flashcards
What are the two systems that the ear can be split into functionally?
Auditory and vestibular
What is the auditory system responsible for?
hearing
When does the auditory system begin?
As soon as sound waves enter the ear
What does the auditory system consist of?
The external, middle and inner ear
What is the external ear made up of?
The auricle (pinna) and the external acoustic meatus (auditory canal)
What are the auricles/pinnae made of?
They are composed of and shaped by elastic cartilage that is covered with skin
What is the function of the auricles/pinnae?
To direct sound into the external acoustic meatus
What are the three parts of the auricles/pinnae?
The helix, tragus and lobule
What is the external acoustic meatus?
An S-shaped passage that begins as an opening in the auricle
Where does the external acoustic media travel?
about 4 cm through the tympanic portion of the temporal bone to terminate at the tympanic membrane
What is The external acoustic meatus lined with?
mucous membrane containing sebaceous glands and modified sweat glands known as ceruminous glands
How is earwax (cerumen) formed?
when the secretions of ceruminous and the sebaceous glands combine
What is the function of earwax?
prevents the entrance of foreign particles into the ear and reduces the risk of bacterial and fungal infection
Where does the external acoustic meatus direct the sound waves to?
The tympanic membrane
what is contained in the middle ear?
The structures that amplify sound. these include the ossicles and auditory muscles
What is the tympanic membrane?
A thin, semi-transparent concave sheet.
What is the function of the tympanic membrane?
- separates the external and middle ear
- transmits vibrations from sound to the ossicles (malleus)
What is the tympanic cavity?
The cavity of the middle ear that contains the three ossicles
What is the tympanic cavity connected to?
The nasopharynx by the eustachian tube
What is the tensor tympani
a small muscle in the middle ear
Where is the tensor tympani?
it originates from the eustachian tube and sphenoid bone and inserts into the malleus
What is the function of the tensor tympani muscle?
To tense the tympanic membrane in response to abrupt noise and in anticipation to loud vocalization
What is the stapedius?
A small muscle in the middle ear
Where is the stapedius?
Attached to the temporal bone and the neck of the neck of the stapes
What is the function of the stapedius?
To dampen the vibrations of the ossicles by contracting in response to high intensity sound
What are the ossicles?
Three tiny bones found in the middle ear
What are the three ossicles?
The malleus, the incus and the stapes
What is the function of the ossicles?
They transmit and magnify sound from the tympanic membrane and across the tympanic cavity
What is the malleus?
largest and most lateral of the ossicles, It is attached to the tympanic membrane and articulates with the incus
What is the incus?
the middle ossicle and is located in the epitympanic recess of the tympanic cavity (middle ear) and it articulates with the stapes
What is the stapes?
the smallest and most medial ossicle of the middle ear. it articulates with the oval window of the inner ear
What is the function of the Eustachian tube?
- Connects the middle ear to the nasopharynx
- Allows the pressure within the cavity to remain equal to local barometric pressure
What is the oval window?
an opening between the middle and inner ear that articulates with the footplate of the stapes
What is the function of the oval window?
Allows the footplate of the stapes to transmit the sound vibrations from the middle ear to the inner ear
What is contained in the inner ear?
The sensory structures for both hearing and balance
What does the inner ear consist of?
A network of bony canals contained deep within the temporal bone
What are the parts of the bony labyrinth?
The cochlea and the semi-circular canals
How are the cochlea and semi-circular canals connected?
A centrally placed vestibule
What is the bony labyrinth?
a tube of bone that coils around a central pillar called the modiolus. It resembles a snail shell. Between the bony labyrinth and membranous labyrinth, sit two fluid-filled spaces: the scala vestibuli and scala tympani
What is the scala vestibuli?
A fluid filled space that passes the entire length of the cochlea.
What is the scala tympani?
A fluid filled space that passes through the entire length of the cochlea.
What is the fluid in the scala vestibuli and the scala tympani known as?
perilymph
What is perilymph maintained by?
The secretory epithelial cells that line the canals
What does the scala vestibuli connect to?
The oval window sits at the base of the canal, where it connects to the tympanic cavity.
What is the scala tympani connected to?
At its base sits the round window, which connects it to the tympanic cavity, and at its apex the helicotrema joins it to the scala vestibuli
What is the membranous labyrinth?
A coiled tube that contains the cochlear duct
What is the cochlear duct (scala media)?
The middle triangular canal that contains the organ of corti
What forms the roof and floor of the cochlear duct?
Roof - vestibular membrane
Floor - basilar membrane
What fluid does the cochlear duct contain?
Endolymph
What is the vestibule?
The central part of the bony labyrinth
What does the vestibule do?
connects the inner ear with the middle ear and has a supportive role
what does the vestibular membrane do?
Separates the cochlear duct from the scala vestibuli
What is the vestibular membrane?
a thin transparent membrane that stretches obliquely from the inner membrane of the modiolus
How does the vestibular membrane contribute to hearing?
When vibrations of the tympanic membrane are felt in response to sound waves, the pressure waves created are transmitted through the vestibular membrane to the basilar membrane
what does the basilar membrane do?
Supports the organ of corti and separates the cochlear duct (scala media) from the scala tympani
What is the structure of the basilar membrane like?
It is not uniform in width or thickness, as it is wider, thinner, and more pliant at the apex than at the base
What is the spiral ganglion?
The group of nerve cells that serve the sense of hearing by sending a representation of sound from the cochlea to the brain