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Vestibular 1 > Vestibular Anatomy and Physiology > Flashcards

Vestibular Anatomy and Physiology Flashcards

1
Q

What is the primary role of the balance system?

A

To allow us to interact and maintain contact with out surroundings
As we move through our environment, information is gathered through the visual, somatosensory, and vestibular senses and sent to the brain for integration, perception and processing

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2
Q

What percentage does vestibular information contribute to body stability?

A

65%
Main contributor
Standing balance, however, does not rely on primarily on vestibular information
Proprioception is the major contributor to standing balance
When proprioceptive input is not helpful vision becomes the primary source of information

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3
Q

What is the bony labyrinth filled with?

A

Perilymph

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4
Q

What is the membranous labyrinth filled with?

A

Endolymph

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5
Q

What are the 5 sensory organs housed within each membranous labyrinth (10 total)?

A

Utricle macula
Saccule macula
Three cristae ampullaris

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6
Q

What are known as otolithic structures?

A

Utricle and saccule

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7
Q

What does the utricle do?

A

Plays a large role in postural control and primarily senses changes in orientation with respect to gravity. Such as moving forward in a car

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8
Q

What do gravity and linear motion exert forces on?

A

The otolithic sensory structures

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9
Q

What hair cells in the vestibular system stimulated by?

A

Mostly motion of the fluid
Sometimes sound

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10
Q

Does the utricle have a direct route to the SCCs?

A

Yes, the saccule does not

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11
Q

What are otoconia?

A

A layer of calcium carbonate crystals on the otoconial membrane (also known as the macula)
Protein matrix that holds all of the crystals together (continuously generated throughout life)
Just below the otoconia lies a
gelatinous membrane through which
the hair cells project the stereocilia

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12
Q

What does movement of the otoconia result in?

A

Stimulation of the sensory cells
Otoliths respond transiently to linear acceleration and to head tilt
With a sudden forward movement, the supporting structures will move synchronously with the head
The density and weight of the otoconia cause them to lag behind head movement than they catch up after several seconds of linear movement (utricular response is exhausted)
A tilt of the head causes a prolonged response from the utricle (why we think that the utricle is the primary sensor for orientation to gravity and plays an important role in postural stability)

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13
Q

What stimulates the saccule?

A

Up/down
Vertical stimulation
Debate on whether the saccule can be stimulated in a lab

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14
Q

What is orthogonal?

A

Right angles to each other
Describes orientation of SCC
This arrangement causes the endolymph to flow toward or away from the ampullated end of the canal in at least one canal on each side

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15
Q

What is pitch?

A

Shaking head yes

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16
Q

What is yaw?

A

Shaking head no

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17
Q

What is roll?

A

Tilting head to the side

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18
Q

What are the sensory cells in the SCC?

A

Cristae and are housed in the ampulla

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19
Q

What is sitting on the cristae ampullaris?

A

Cupula (extends across the ampulla to close off the lumen of the canal)
Has a density that is similar to the endolymph (not sensitive to gravity)

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20
Q

What will movement that causes the stereocilia to flow toward the kinocilium result in?

A

Depolarization and an increase in electrical potential

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21
Q

Does ampullopetal always mean excitation?

A

No, only in the horizontal SCC
Other canals result in inhibition

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22
Q

Are there 2 vestibular nerve branches?

A

Yes

23
Q

What are the three functions of the vestibular apparatus?

A

To provide a subjective sensation of movement and/or displacement in 3-dimensional space
To maintain upright body posture (balance)
To stabilize the eyes during head and head and body movement

24
Q

Where are the cell bodies for the superior and inferior vestibular nerves?

A

Scarpa’s ganglion

25
Q

What does the posterior canal share a plane with?

A

The contralateral anterior canal

26
Q

Are the different vestibular hair cells completely understood?

A

No
We know there are 2 types, but don’t really know what is different about them

27
Q

What is type 1 vestibular hair cells?

A

Spherical shape with 60 to 70 small hairs emerging from the cuticle

28
Q

What are type 2 hair cells?

A

Cylindrical in shape
stereocilia and kinocilia are identical to type 1

29
Q

Are low frequencies more affected for vestibular deficits?

A

Yes
Shaking head slow vs fast

30
Q

How are the hair cells oriented in the utricle and saccule

A

Toward striola in the utricle
Away in the saccule

31
Q

Does constant low level current flowing through hair cells cause a resting discharge in the vestibular nerve?

A

Yes
Stimulation towards kinocilium leads to cell depolarization and increased nerve activity
Stimulation of hair cells away from kinocilium leads to hyperpolarisation and decreased activity in vestibular nerve

32
Q

How are the kinocilia oriented in the anterior and posterior canals?

A

Toward the canal side of the ampulla

33
Q

How are the kinocilia oriented in the horizontal canals?

A

Toward the utricle

34
Q

Similar to hear, can you have a decent amount of hair cells loss without seeing it affect the vestibular system?

A

Yes

35
Q

For the majority of people who have a significant amount of vestibular loss, is the loss permanent?

A

Yes

36
Q

If you have one intact vestibular system, will you probably recover function in the affected side?

A

Yes
Through time and recovery through rehab

37
Q

What were the vertebral artery screenings?

A

Looking for the possibility of stroke
Stand against the wall and turn head
Report if they get dizzy
Raises a red flag
Not a very good screening

38
Q

How do we loos vestibular hair cells?

A

Prebystasis (age related loss)
Infections
Toxicities (both peripheral and central)
Many of the same things that impact the auditory system
Cancer

39
Q

What does the superior division of the vestibular nerve connect to?

A

Utricle, anterior part of saccule(?), and horiz & anterior canals

40
Q

What does the inferior division of the vestibular nerve connect to?

A

Posterior part of saccule, and posterior canal

41
Q

Where does the vestibular nerve lead to?

A

Vestibular nuclei and cerebellum

42
Q

For most normal head movements, is the firing rates in phase with the head velocity?

A

Yes

43
Q

What are the other inputs to vestibular nuclei?

A

Cerebellum: primarily inhibitory
Spinal cord
Pontine reticular formation
Contralateral vestibular nuclei

44
Q

What is the vestibulo-oculomotor pathways?

A

Direct: to oculomotor nuclei
Indirect: via reticular formation to oculomotor nuclei (III IV and VI)

45
Q

What is the vestibulo-spinal pathway?

A

Lateral V-S-throughout spinal cord
Medial V-S-cervical & thoracic
Reticulospinal tract-via brainstem reticular formation

46
Q

What happens in the brainstem with vestibular information?

A

Vestibular inputs undergo integration
Integrated signal is combined with original (velocity driven) signal
Processing to reset spatial map for eye musculature

47
Q

How fast do we typically move our heads?

A

0.8-5 Hz

48
Q

What are saccades?

A

Rapid shifts in gaze

49
Q

What are pursuits?

A

Stabilize image of moving object

50
Q

What is fixation?

A

Stabilize image of still object

51
Q

What is VOR?

A

Stabilize image during head motion

52
Q

What is OKN?

A

Backup for when VOR decays to continued head rotation

53
Q

What is vergent movements?

A

Change depth of focus
Bringing things toward or away

Vestibular 1 (9 decks)

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