Text 1 Flashcards
How sounds is processed
The pressure waves of sound are collected by the pinna and funneled to the tympanic membrane by
the external auditory canal. The tympanic membrane vibrates
in response to the sound, which sets the ossicular chain into motion. The mechanical movement of the ossicular chain then sets
the fl uids of the cochlea in motion, causing the hair cells on the
basilar membrane to be stimulated. These hair cells send neural
impulses through the VIIIth cranial nerve to the auditory brainstem. From the brainstem, networks of neurons act on the neural
stimulation, sending signals to the auditory cortex.
Pinna/Auricle
Acts as a funnel and collects and directs sound further into the ear
visible portion of the ear, skin covered cartilage
serves as a resonator, enhancing sound by 4500 Hz
Head shadow effect – The head may attenuate speech intensity by 6.4 dB • Pinna effect – Each individual's pinna creates a distinctive imprint on the acoustic wave traveling into the auditory canal
Function of the outer ear
Collection of sound, localization, resonance and protection
Concha
the bowl at the entrance of the external auditory meatus
Helix
Upper rim of the ear, The helix has a 2 dB peak at 4000 Hz.
The concha has a 9 dB increase at 5300 Hz.
Auricle/pinna
-collects sound waves and
ITD (Interaural time distance)
The difference in the two ears sound wave arrival time (pinna/auricle) part of the localization part
Ear canal/external auditory meatus
- 5bcm long, 23-29mm. Outer 1/3 is cartilaginous and contains hair, sebaceous and ceruminous glands. Inner 2/3 is bone and skin. S shaped
- Resonator: provides about 10 dB of gain to the eardrum at around 3,300Hz
- Sounds in the 2,000 to 4,000 Hz region are amplified by up to 20db, Noises in this range are the most hazardous to hearing
Cerumen
A mixture of skin, sweat, hair, and debris held together with a fluid secreted by glands inside the ear canal.
Purposes: To repel water, trap dust, sand, micro organisms, odor discourages insects, antifungal, moisturizes the epithelium
Tympanic membrane
At the end of the ear canal, membranous, cone-shaped, 10mm in diameter. Movements are small about one billionth of a cm.
Made up of 2 sections: Pars flaccid (smaller) and pars tensa (longer)
Vibrates with a magnitude that’s the same as the intensity of the sound wave
Creates a barrier that protects the middle and inner areas from foreign objects
Separates outer and middle ear
Muscles of the middle ear
Tensor tympani connects to cranial nerve V - the trigeminal nerve, connected to the malleus
Stapedius muscle - connects to the stapes and cranial nerve V - the facial nerve
Function of the middle ear muscles
They help maintain ossicles in proper position, protects the inner ear from excessive sound
levels. When ear is exposed to sound levels above 70 dB, the muscles contract, decreasing amount of
energy transferred to inner ear. This protective reflex is termed “acoustic reflex
Middle ear
Air filled space within the temportal bone of the skull and functions as an impedance matching device. Contains the ossicular chain and the eustachian tube
Functions of the middle ear
Protects by creating a barrier that protects the middle and inner areas from foreign objects.
Protection from loud sounds.
Conductor: Conducts sound from the outer to the inner ear
Transducer: converts acoustic energy to mechanical energy. Converts mechanical energy to hydraulic energy.
Amplifier: impedance matching of the middle ear.
(only about 1/1000 of the acoustic energy in air would be transmitted to the inner-ear fluids (about 30dB hearing loss)
-Bridge between pressure waves in the tympanic membrane and the fluid waves of the cochlea
Matches the energy transfer from air to fluid
Impedance matching of the middle ear
Enhances the transfer of acoustical energy:
1. The area of the eardrum is about 17 times larger than the oval window. The effective pressure is increased by this amount [the force].
2. The ossicles produce a lever action that further amplifies the pressure.
Without the transformer action of the middle ear 1/1000 of acoustic energy in air transmitted to the inner ear meaning 30db loss
Eustachian tube
-Connects the front wall of the middle ear with the
nasopharynx.
• Operates like a valve, which opens during
swallowing and yawning
• Equalizes the pressure on either side of the eardrum,
which is necessary for optimal hearing
– Without this function, a difference between the static
pressure in the middle ear and the outside pressure may
develop, causing the eardrum to displace inward or
outward and reduces the efficiency of the middle ear and
less acoustic energy will be transmitted to the inner ear.
The inner ear
Sensorineural receptor organ that analyzes sound stimulus
for frequency, intensity and temporal properties
• Transmits information to CNS for further processing and interpretation
Divided into the vestibule, cochlea and semicircular canals
Inner ear is enclosed in bony labyrinth inside is a membranous labryinth of the same shape. The space between membrane and bone is filled with perilymph (scala tympani and scala vestibule) and the inside the membranous labryinth is endolymph (scala media > different fluid composition = electrochemical enviornment
Function of the inner ear
Converts mechanical sound waves to neural impulses (electrochemical energy) that can be recognized by the brain for: – Hearing – Balance
Perilymph
cochlear fluid high in sodium and calcium
Endolymph
Cochlear fluid high in potassium and low in sodium
Scala tympani
In the cochlear duct, filled with perilymph, bottom, round window
Scala media
middle of the cochlear duct, filled with endolymph
Its the cochlear partition > separates the scala tympani and the scala vestibule
Scala Media has a large positive potential known as
endocochlear potential (EP) and may be the driving force for signal transduction
• +80 mV relative to scala tympani - this voltage difference is called the
endocochlear potential (EP)
Scala vestibule
top, terminates basally at oval window, filled with perilymph
Resner’s membrane covers the partition separating it from the scala vestibuli
Basilar membrane base of the partition separating it from the scala tympani
Heliotrema
Passage connecting scala vestibuli and scala tympani
Vestibular mechanism
Shares inner ear bony labyrinth with the auditory system and the vestibular and auditory nerves form the VIII cranial nerve
-provides accurate info about air position in space and about the direction and speed of our movement
Consists of 2 groups = otolithic organs (utricle and saccule = linear motion and head positioning) and 3 semicircular canals (rotary motion)