Week 1 Vestibular Flashcards
What are the major functions of the vestibular system?
a. Estimates body position and movement
b. Postural control
c. Control of eye movements
Describe the movements associated with pitch, yaw, and roll.
a. Pitch – yes head nod
b. Yaw – no head shake
c. Roll – lateral flexion L and R
What is the peripheral vestibular system tasked with?
a. Stabilize visual images on fovea of retina during head movement for clear vision
b. Maintain postural stability, especially during head movement
c. Spatial orientation information
How does the peripheral vestibular system complete its primary functions?
relay information about static and dynamic positions of head and neck
What does the bony labyrinth contain?
perilymphatic fluid and supportive connective tissue
What does membranous labyrinth contain?
- endolymph fluid
- vestibule (otolith organs - utricle and saccule)
- 3 semicircular canals
What is the function of the otolith organs? What directions is each organ associated with?
- Relay information: linear acceleration/deceleration of head/neck and static head position
a. Utricle – detects movement in the HORIZONTAL plane
b. Saccule – detects movement in the VERTICAL plan
Describe how the otolith organs detect movement
- Gravity dependent motion sensitivity
a. Movement of sterocilia TOWARDS kinocilium = EXCITATORY
b. Movement of sterocilia AWAY from kinocilium = INHIBATORY
stereocilia and kinocilium location in utricle
i. Stereocilia on floor
ii. Kinocilium towards midline
stereocilia and kinocilium location in saccule
i. Stereocilia on medial wall
ii. Kinocilium towards lateral edges
What is the function of the semicircular canals? Name the canals.
- Relay information about angular velocity of the head
- Filled with endolymph
a. Anterior
b. Posterior
c. Horizontal
What is the ampulla and what is its functional relevance?
a. Bulbous formation at the start or finish of each canal
b. Contains cupula which houses stereocilia – sensitive to angular movements only
Explain the relevance to the directional flow of endolymph fluid in the semicircular canals
- Endolymph will move in the opposite direction of the head movement
a. Head rotation movement of endolymph in corresponding canal movement of hair cells in ampulla depolarization/ hyperpolarization
T/F: The ampulla is sensitive to angular and gravity dependent movements.
False - the ampulla is ONLY sensitive to angular movements
Define utriculopedal and utriculofugal cupular displacement. How does this concept’s impact change with each canal?
a. TOWARDS utricle = ultroculopedal cupular displacement
i. Horizontal canal = excitatory
ii. Anterior/posterior canal = inhibatory
b. AWAY from utricle = ultriculofugal cupular displacement
i. Horizontal canal = inhibitory
ii. Anterior/posterior canal = excitatory
What structures are sensitive to gravity dependent motion?
otolithic organs - utricle and saccule
Explain how the R and L semicircular canals are paired. What movement is each canal most sensitive to?
a. L anterior paired with R posterior
b. R anterior paired with L posterior
c. Turn head R = R horizontal excited and L horizontal inhibited
What is the major source of vascularization for the vestibular system?
a. Labyrinthine artery off of AICA (anterior inferior cerebellar artery)
What does the anterior vestibular artery supply?
a. Vestibular nerve
b. Utricle
c. Ampullae of anterior and horizontal SCC
What does the common cochlear artery supply?
a. Cochlea
b. Ampulla of posterior SCC
c. saccule
____ seconds of ischemia = cell death
15
generates eye movements that enable clear vision during head motion
a. Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex (VOR)
generates compensatory body movements to maintain head and postural stability
b. Vestibulospinal Reflex (VSR) - cats
acts on neck musculature to stabilize the head
c. Vestibulocollic Reflex (VCR) - chicken
List the steps involved in the vestibular-ocular reflex.
i. + R horizontal semicircular canal R vestibular nucleus L abducens nucleus L abducens nerve to contract L lateral rectus and R oculomotor nucleus (MLF) to oculomotor nerve to contract R medial rectus
ii. - L horizontal semicircular canal L vestibular nucleus R abducens nucleus R abducens nerve to inhibit R lateral rectus and L oculomotor nucleus (MLF) to oculomotor nerve to inhibit L medial rectus
List the steps involved in the vestibulospinal reflex.
a. Head tilts to side
b. Ipsilateral SCC/otolith excitation
c. ↑ Input from vestibular nerve vestibular nuclei ipsilaterally
d. MVST/LVST (medial/lateral vestibulospinal tract) descending drive to truncal muscles
e. Increase lateral truncal extension ipsilaterally/increase truncal flexion contralaterally