Vestibular System Flashcards

1
Q

Is the vestibular system the auditory or non auditory portion of the inner ear

A

Non auditory

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2
Q

True or False:

The vestibular system is the oldest sensory system in humans

A

True

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3
Q

What does the vestibular system do

A

Responds to movement of the head relative to space and gravity

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4
Q

How does the vestibular system responds to movements of the head relative to space and gravity

A

Using inertial sensing receptors that sense movement in each of the six degrees of freedom

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5
Q

What are the 2 categories of degrees of freedom

A
  1. 3 Translational

2. 3 Rotational

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6
Q

What are the 3 purposes that the vestibular apparatus serves in humans

A
  1. Plays the dominant role in the subjective sensation of motion and spatial orientation of the head
  2. Adjusts muscular activity and body position to maintain posture
  3. Stabilizes in space the fixation point of the eyes when the head moves
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7
Q

True or False:

There is no primary cortex for vestibular info so there is multiple places that info goes

A

True

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8
Q

What are the 2 basic questions about human perception that the vestibular apparatus answers

A
  1. Where am I going

2. Which way is up

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9
Q

What is the where I am going equal to

A

Head linear acceleration

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10
Q

What type of motion tells you where you are going

A

Translational motion including gravity

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11
Q

What determines the where I am going question

A

Otoliths

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12
Q

Where are the otoliths housed (2)

A

Saccule and utricle

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13
Q

What is the saccule important for

A

Up and down

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14
Q

Which way is the saccule oriented

A

Vertical

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15
Q

Which way are the saccule hairs oriented

A

Horizontal

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16
Q

What is the utricle important for

A

Side to side motion

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17
Q

Which way is the utricle oriented

A

Horizontal

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18
Q

Which way are the utricle hairs oriented

A

Vertical

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19
Q

What is the which way is up equal to

A

Head angular acceleration

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20
Q

What type of motion tells you which way is up

A

Rotational motion

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21
Q

What determines the which way is up question

A

Semicircular canals

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22
Q

True or False:

Part of the vestibular pathways is directly to the eye muscles

A

True

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23
Q

What does the peripheral sensory apparatus do (2)

A
  1. Detects and relays info about head angular and linear velocity to central processing system
  2. Orients the head with respect to gravity
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24
Q

What does the central processing system of the vestibular apparatus do

A

Processes information in conjunction with other sensory inputs for position and movement of head in space

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25
Q

What does the motor output system do

A

Generates compensatory eye movements and compensatory body movements during head and postural adjustments

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26
Q

True or False:

The vestibular system only provides sensory info about the head

A

True

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27
Q

What distributes this signal to head movement and postural systems for head and limb stabilization

A

The central vestibular system

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28
Q

What 2 systems work together with the eye muscles to form a control system that enables us to maintain an erect posture

A
  1. Vestibular system

2. Postural systems

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29
Q

What does the vestibule contain

A

Saccule and utricle

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30
Q

What type of motion do the semicircular canals do

A

Rotational

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31
Q

What type of motion does the vestibule do

A

Translational

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32
Q

True or False:

The vestibular system is a chamber in a chamber

A

True

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33
Q

What fluid is shared by the vestibular and cochlear system

A

The perilymph

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34
Q

What do the auditory and vestibular systems have in common (3)

A
  1. Common fluid system
  2. Hair cell motion detectors
  3. Innervation
35
Q

What is an issue with having a common fluid system

A

If there is something wrong with the fluid system both hearing and balance will be affected

36
Q

What frequency is detected for hearing

A

High frequency

37
Q

What frequency is detected for balance

A

Low frequency

38
Q

True or False:

A tumor that compresses CN VIII after the branches join can affect both hearing and equilibrium

A

True

39
Q

What are receptors in the ampullae are called

A

Cristae

40
Q

What are the cristae responsible for

A

Allowing a person to receive changes in angular acceleration

41
Q

Receptors in the otolith system are called

A

Maculae

42
Q

What are the maculae responsible for

A

Allowing a person to receive changes in linear acceleration in the horizontal and vertical directins

43
Q

What is located in the ampullae

A

Capula

44
Q

What is the function of the capula

A

Stimulate the hair cells when the endolymph displaces the capula

45
Q

What are the otoliths composed of

A

Calcium carbonate

46
Q

What are the short hair cells

A

Stereocilia

47
Q

What are the long hair cells

A

Kinocilia

48
Q

What are the motion detecting receptors in the vestibular system

A

Hair cells

49
Q

Which direction do the hair cells have to bend to cause an excitatory signal (depolarization)

A

From short to long hair cells

50
Q

Which direction do the hair cells have to bend to cause an inhibitory signal (hyperpolarization)

A

From long to short

51
Q

What are the 2 divisions of the vestibular portion of CN VIII

A
  1. Superior division

2. Inferior division

52
Q

What is included in the superior division of the vestibular portion of the CN VIII (3)

A
  1. Utricle
  2. Anterior part of saccule
  3. Horizontal and anterior canals
53
Q

What is included in the inferior division of the vestibular portion of the CN VIII (2)

A
  1. Posterior part of saccule

2. Posterior canal

54
Q

Where do the superior and inferior divisions go

A

The superior division goes to the superior ganglion

The inferior division goes to the inferior ganglion

55
Q

Where does the information from the vestibular portion of CN VIII travel (2)

A
  1. Vestibular nuclei

2. Cerebellum

56
Q

Where do the vestibular nuclei project (5)

A
  1. Spinal cord
  2. Oculomotor nuclei
  3. Reticular formation
  4. Cerebellum
  5. Thalamus (conscious aspect)
57
Q

Where are the primary sensory neurons located for the vestibular pathways

A

Vestibular gnaglia

58
Q

Where do primary axons terminate for the vestibular pathways (2)

A
  1. Vestibular nuclei

2. Cerebellum

59
Q

How many descending tracts do the vestibular nuclei give rise to

A

2

60
Q

What are 2 descending tracts of the vestibular nuclei

A
  1. Medial vestibulospinal tract (neck)

2. Lateral vestibulospinal tract (LE)

61
Q

What do the ascending axons from the vestibular nuclei form

A

Medial longitundinal fasciculus (MLF)

62
Q

Where do axons of the medial longitudinal fasciculus terminate (3)

A

Cranial nerve nuclei III, IV, VI

63
Q

True or False:

The vestibular system provides rapid sensory indication of the rotation or linear movement of the head

A

True

64
Q

True or False:
The vestibular apparatus sends signals to the vestibular nuclei in the dorsal surface of the medulla via the vestibulocochlear nerve

A

True

65
Q

What are the 4 vestibular nuclei that receive distinct but overlapping information

A
  1. Superior
  2. Medial
  3. Lateral
  4. Inferiror
66
Q

Where does the medial vestibulospinal tract originate in general

A

Medial vestibular nucleus

67
Q

Where does the medial vestibulospinal tract descend

A

Ipsilateral and bilaterally to cervical levels of the cord

68
Q

Where does the lateral vestibulopinal tract originate in general

A

The lateral, inferior, and superior vestibular nuclei

69
Q

True or False:

The lateral vestibular nuclei receive input from the vestibulocerebellum

A

True

70
Q

Where does the lateral vestibulospinal tract descend

A

Ipsilateral to all levels of the cord

71
Q

True or False:

Both the medial and lateral vestibulospinal tracts innervate proximal muscles

A

True

72
Q

True or False:

The medial vestibulospinal tract receives predominantly a semicircular canal signal

A

True

73
Q

What does the medial vestibulospinal tract do

A

Keeps the head still in space

74
Q

True or False: The lateral vestibulospinal tract receives predominantly an otolith signal

A

True

75
Q

What does the lateral vestibulospinal tract do

A

Allows the legs to adjust for head movements

76
Q

How does the lateral vestibulospinal tract allow the legs to adjust for head movements

A

By providing excitatory tone to extensor muscles

77
Q

What happens when there is loss of inhibition from the cerebral cortex and cerebellum on the lateral vestibulospinal tract

A

Decerebrate rigidity

78
Q

True or False:

Some vestibular nucleus neurons send projections to the cerebellum via the inferior cerebellar peduncle

A

True

79
Q

Where do most of the afferents that go to the cerebellum innervate

A

The flocculonodular node

80
Q

True or False:

Many interconnections are found between the vestibular nuclei and the cerebellum which coordinate postural adjustments

A

True

81
Q

Where do vestibular nucleus neurons send projections for vestibulo-autonomic control (3)

A
  1. Reticular formation
  2. Dorsal pontine nuclei
  3. Nucleus of the solitary tract
82
Q

What do the vestibulo-autonomic connections regulate (3)

A
  1. Breathing
  2. Circulation
  3. Induction of motion sickness and emesis
83
Q

How do the vestibulo-autonomic connections regulate circulation

A

Through compensatory vestibular autonomic responses that stabilize respiration and blood pressure during body motion and changes relative to gravity

84
Q

What are the vestibular sign and symptoms (7)

A
  1. Dizziness
  2. Vertigo/spinning
  3. Imbalance/gait deficits/falls
  4. Visual blurring (oscillopsia) or impaired vision
  5. Hearing loss and/or tinnitus
  6. Lightheadedness
  7. Feelings of disorientation, rocking, swaying, floating, disconnected